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ULi  V 1X1  lift _ A  _ 

BT  145  . C5  1917 
Chambers,  Richard  F. 

The  righteousness  of  Jehovah 


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The  Righteousness  of 
J  ehovah 

That  Makes  for  Peace 

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BY 

y 

RICHARD  F.  CHAMBERS 

Lilor*.  o-  r®  , 

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BOSTON:  THE  GORHAM  PRESS 

TORONTO:  THE  COPP  CLARK  CO.,  LIMITED 


Copyright,  1917,  by  Hichard  F.  Chambers 

'  % 

All  Rights  Reserved 


MADE  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA 


The  Gorham  Press,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


DEDICATED 


In  the  name  of  The  Master  and  for  the  purpose 
of  hastening  His  Kingdom  here  on  earth  and  sent 
to  all  peoples  and  nations  with  this  hope  in  Him  that 
has  already  made  us  men  that  which  we  are. 


THE  BASIC  PRINCIPLE  FOR  A  CON- , 
STRUCTIVE  PLAN  OF  THE  WORLD’S 
PEACE,  WOULD  SEEM  TO  BE, 
RIGHTEOUSNESS 

This  is  not  an  attempt  at  a  “cure  all”  but  an 
analysis  of  the  conditions  and  a  seeking  for  a  uni¬ 
versal  conception  and  a  synthesis  effecting  all  na¬ 
tions  and  people: 

( 1 )  .  The  necessity  of  a  conception  that  is  universal 

in  its  scope  and  application — Righteousness 
affords  this  conception.  But  what  is  Righte¬ 
ousness?  (Division  I). 

(2) .  The  necessity  of  a  new  defining  of  the  term 

to  meet  a  larger  conception,  with  sufficient 
power  to  give  the  vision  and  furnish  the  in¬ 
spiration,  and  apply  the  lifting  energy.  This 
is  found  in  the  Righteousness  of  Jehovah- 
Elohim.  (Division  II). 

(3) .  This  conception  of  Jehovah-Elohim’s 

Righteousness  is  not  only  universal — but 
it  is  co-extensive  with  the  races  development. 
(Division  III). 

(4) .  That  in  God’s  Righteousness  all  the  na¬ 

tions  “share  and  share  alike”  in  its  gifts  and 
blessings.  (Division  IV). 

(5) .  That  the  present  world  crisis  affords  an  oc¬ 

casion  (The  crying  need — the  plea — “A  place 
under  the  sun”)  and  makes  known  a  “world¬ 
consciousness,”  and  emphasizes  the  need  of  a 
particular  place,  and  the  necessity  of  the  basic 
principle  of  Jehovah-Elohim’s  Righteous¬ 
ness  for  present  and  future  development : 

5 


6 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


(a) .  Hence  the  need  for  “arbitration”— 

‘  ‘  international  agreement’  ’ — ‘  ‘  I  nterna- 
tional  league  of  peace” — “International 
law” — “international  court  with  suffici¬ 
ent  force  to  back  it.”  These  are  good, 
these  are  far  reaching,  these  seem  to  be 
necessary. 

(b) .  But  the  passion  of  life  knows  no  limit. 

Life  is  not  controlled  but  by  its  own 
consciousness  and  effort  after  life.  So 
agreements  may  become  “a  scrap  of 
paper”  and  international  laws  ignored. 
These  will  not,  and  can  not  hold  and 
control  life  under  all  conditions.  They 
are  parts  of  a  whole.  They  have  their 
place  in  the  whole,  and  they  perform 
their  functions. 

(c) .  The  appeal  to  the  Gospel  of  Jehovah- 

Elohim’s  Righteousness  will  furnish 
a  common  ground  again  and  again  to 
which  all  nations  may  resort  when 
laws  are  ignored,  treaties  abrogated,  and 
international  power  misused  and  abused. 
This  Righteousness  of  Jehovah- 
Elohim  will  continue  to  be  the  “Well 
of  Salvation”  from  which  all  nations 
may  drink  and  a  better  Spirit  will  pre¬ 
vail  for  future  growth  and  develop¬ 
ment. 

Richard  F.  Chambers. 

Griswold,  Iowa, 

October  i,  1917* 


CONTENTS 


DIVISION  I 

The  Necessity  of  a  Conception  that  is  Universal 
in  its  Scope  and  Application .  n 

DIVISION  II 

The  Necessity  of  Defining  the  Term  to  Meet 
a  Larger  Conception  is  Found  in  the 
Righteousness  of  Jehovah-Elohim .  25 

DIVISION  III 

Jehovah-Elohim’s  Righteousness  is  Co-Extensive 

with  the  Development  of  the  Nation’s.  ...  49 

DIVISION  IV 

That  in  God’s  Righteousness  All  Nations  “Share 
and  Share  Alike”  in  the  Gifts  and  Blessings  59 

division  v 

A  Dissertation  of  the  Promise  to  the  Patriarchs  79 

DIVISION  VI 

The' Present  World  Crisis .  91 


7 


THE  RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  JEHOVAH 


THE  RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF 
JEHOVAH 


DIVISION  I 

THE  NECESSITY  OF  A  CONCEPTION  THAT  IS  UNI¬ 
VERSAL  IN  ITS  SCOPE  AND  APPLICATION 

rT-'  HERE  can  be  but  little  doubt,  if  any  at  all, 
that  the  great  and  the  controlling  truth  which 
life  has  been  unfolding  and  making  known  to  the 
world  through  the  generations  of  men  and  of  na¬ 
tions  is  Righteousness. 

We  may  view  life  from  any  point  we  will  and 
this  appears  to  hold  good. 

Take  this  statement  from  the  position  of  a  young 
man  just  starting  in  life,  with  a  character  to  form,  a 
reputation  to  establish,  and  life  to  live;  here  the 
law  of  righteousness,  be  it  stated  in  the  form  of  the 
old  Hebrew  prophet,  or,  a  more  modern  expression 
of  the  same  principle,  and  it  has  more  to  do  with  the 
final  outcome  of  his  life  than  any  other  single  con¬ 
ception  of  life. 

Or,  look  at  life  from  the  point,  when  the  fire  on 
the  altar  of  the  heart  burns  low,  when  the  pulsations 
of  life  are  fevered  and  irregular,  when  the  tread 
which  once  was  sure  and  steady  gives  place  to  un- 


II 


12 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


certainty,  and  a  staff  is  a  good  thing  to  lean  upon, 
then  righteousness  has  a  story  to  tell,  of  the  same 
nature  and  kind,  yet  it  is  quite  a  different  story. 
The  difference  of  degree  or  quality  and  not  one  of 
nature  or  kind. 

Or,  view  righteousness  from  the  point  of  the 
present,  where  life  is  a  continuous  change  filled  with 
vicissitudes,  with  its  desires  and  ambitions,  with  its 
opportunities  of  success  and  failure,  with  its  strength 
and  weakness,  and  we  find  that  righteousness  keeps 
abreast  with  all  of  life’s  movements,  or,  if  wanting  is 
easily  detected. 

Again,  if  we  look  at  life  from  the  point  of  the 
past,  with  its  consciousness  of  rectitude  or  sin,  with 
its  sense  of  achievements  or  its  miscarriage  and  dis¬ 
aster,  here  righteousness  has  its  story  to  tell. 

We  may  take  the  point  of  the  future,  with  its  an¬ 
ticipation  and  its  hope,  or,  with  its  burden  and  its 
fears,  whether  it  be  the  near  future,  to  take  place 
here  on  earth  tomorrow,  or,  a  more  remote  time  and 
in  another  world  of  existence,  we  see  that  righteous¬ 
ness  has  its  bearing  unmistakable,  convincing,  and 
powerful. 

If  we  take  our  stand  and  look  into  the  secret 
chamber  of  our  own  heart,  where  no  eye  save  God’s 
ever  sees,  if  we  look  inwardly,  commune  with  our 
own  heart,  if  we  take  sweet  counsel  with  ourself 
righteousness  has  its  meaning.  “Conscience  makes 
cowards  of  us  all.” 

Now  let  us  take  the  opposite  pole.  Let  us  go  to 
life’s  work,  where  men  have  worked  out  their  con¬ 
ceptions  into  actual  things.  Perhaps  written  them 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


13 


with  an  indelible  pen  and  given  them  to  the  world. 
Builded  them  into  magnificent  structure  of  granite 
to  stand  as  the  everlasting  hills,  or,  a  worthless  hov¬ 
el  that  is  already  mouldering  to  decay.  It  may  be, 
have  laid  the  foundation  and  found  we  were  not 
able  to  finish,  and  here  again  righteousness  has  its 

bearing.  #  ... 

Should  we  now  look  at  life  from  a  social  point, 
and  study  the  history  of  the  nations.  Search  well 
the  archives,  whether  they  be  those  sealed  with  the 
debris  of  centuries  or  the  more  recent  works  of  the 
scholars,  who  labor  to  see  things  as  they  are .  and 
have  been,  and  we  find  that  righteousness  is  written 
across  the  pages,  or,  if  not  its  need  is  told  in  another 

sad  story. 

When  we  view  life  again,  be  it  from  the  present 
social  condition  of  the  rural  district,  town,  city,  or 
nation  righteousness  is  sure  to  be  indispensable.. 

Or  look  at  it  from  the  point  of  international 
agreements,  treaties,  laws  and  we  see  nations  en¬ 
deavoring  to  hold  each  other  responsible  for  its  con¬ 
duct.  . 

If  there  is  a  phase  of  life  where  righteousness  has 

not  its  bearing  six  thousand  years  of  the  human 

family  has  failed  to  reveal  it. 

Yes,  we  may  go  further  and  say,  the  longevity  of 
the  race  tends  to  impress  the  conception  that  righte¬ 
ousness  is  indispensable. 

That  righteousness  touches  every  phase  of  human 

That  righteousness  moves  and  travels  with  life. 
That  change  does  not  do  away  with  the  necessity 


14 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


of  righteousness. 

That  sin,  and  decay,  and  death  can  not  and  does 
not  destroy  righteousness. 

In  fact  we  find  that  righteousness  is  the  “unit- 
character”  belonging  to  the  race. 

It  is  the  index  finger  pointing  the  way  in  life. 

It  is  the  prophesy  revealing  the  light. 

Yea!  It  is  the  “mutation”  capable  of  great  things 
in  the  individual,  in  the  class,  in  the  nation,  and  in 
the  race. 

So  it  does  not  seem  presumptuous  when  we  say, 
the  great  conception  that  life,  in  its  many  phases  has 
been  working  out  and  revealing,  during  these  many 
generations  of  men,  is  the  same  conception  that  God 
has  made  known  through  the  scriptures,  namely,  that 
of  righteousness  which  makes  for  life. 

We  speak  of  righteousness  in  the  abstract  but 
there  is  a  reality  corresponding  to  the  word,  and  this 
reality  is  within  touch  of  every  life.  This  is  a  vital 
power  that  is  real  and  known  in  the  experience  of 
every  man. 

This  reality  is  experienced  in  the  life  of  every 
man  regardless  of  his  creed  which  establishes  the 
fact  of  righteousness  beyond  the  peradventure  of  a 
doubt.  So  at  present  we  are  not  in  the  specula¬ 
tive  field  of  philosophy,  but  in  the  realm  of  actual 
life. 

We  may  easily  pass  over  into  the  speculative  field, 
and  necessity,  in  the  full  discussion  of  righteousness 
would  require  us  to  treat  it  from  the  abstract  as 
well  as  from  the  concrete  side,  from  the  individual  as 
well  as  the  class  and  the  race,  but  at  present  let 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


15 


us  keep  in  the  open  field  of  experience  where  all 
can  easily  follow  and  know  the  truth  and  see  the 
facts. 

A  word  about  the  nature  of  righteousness.  If 
there  are  different  opinions  of  righteousness  they 
generally  enter  in  at  the  point  where  we  fail  to  dis¬ 
criminate  between  nature  and  degree — between  kind 
and  quality. 

Nature  and  kind  are  corollated.  By  this  we  mean 
that  which  is  produced  by  a  cause. 

Quality  and  degree  are  related.  By  this  we  mean 
that  which  we  talk  about,  that  which  we  narrate. 

The  very  essence  of  righteousness  is  found  in  the 
motive  which  actuates.  The  nature  which  promotes. 
The  kind  which  controls. 

Righteousness  arises  out  of  a  consciousness,  where 
we  find  those  intuitive  ideas  of  right,  justice,  truth 
and  duty,  which  are  the  fundamental  principles  of 
our  moral  being,  such  as  we  men  are. 

If  there  is  a  difference  of  opinion  it  usually  arises 
by  substituting  degree  for  nature,  or,  quality  for 
kind. 

But  to  doubt  nature,  and  to  substitute  degree  or 
quality  for  kind  upsets  the  fundamental  principle 
and  is  suicidal. 

Nature  will  reproduce  in  kind.  Degree  and  qual¬ 
ity  have  not  the  power  of  re-production. 

There  cannot  be  the  question  about  the  nature 
of  righteousness  that  there  is  about  degree  and  quali¬ 
ty,  for  the  reason  that  nature  is  sure  to  reproduce  in 

kind. 

So  in  dealing  with  righteousness  we  have  no  new 


i6 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


conception  to  offer  but  the  same  pure,  unalloyed  con¬ 
ception  worked  out  into  realities  in  every  day  life, 
through  the  many  generations  of  men  and  revealed 
in  the  scripture. 

Our  purpose  is  to  put  righteousness  into  the  cruci¬ 
ble.  “So  as  to  cast  it  into  new  molds?”  No!  Not 
even  into  a  new  mold !  And  yet  it  may  be  a  new 
mold  to  some.  But  it  will  be  the  same  old  truth 
that  has  stood  the  test  of  the  ages  in  the  crucible 
for  analytical  purposes. 

It  is  necessary  to  clear  thinking  that  we  not  only 
talk  about  the  same  thing,  but  that  our  attention 
be  drawn  and  focused  on  the  same  point  of  the  same 
thing  at  the  same  time. 

We  have  seen  salesmen  selling  their  goods.  They 
point  out  the  best  quality  of  their  ware.  The  ma¬ 
chinist  will  show  us  where  his  machine  differs  and 
excels  his  opponents.  He  calls  attention  to  these 
points  of  his  machine  because  therein  lies  the  value 
of  his  instrument.  We  must  think  to  the  same  point 
at  the  same  time,  and  we  must  see  things  alike  at  a 
given  moment,  however  we  may  differ  at  other  times. 

There  are  some  people  who  cultivate  a  pugilistic 
mind  so  that  this  is  a  very  hard  thing  for  them  to  do. 
Any  thing  that  differs  from  their  former  concep¬ 
tion  of  life  they  are  ready  to  strike  a  blow  before 
they  really  know  what  it  is.  And  striking  in  the 
dark,  supposing  they  oppose  an  enemy,  they  slay  a 
friend.  If  such  there  be  who  are  religiously  inclined 
they  set  themselves  not  to  receive.  And  there  are 
some  who  make  this  attitude  of  spirit  to  stand  for 
Christianity. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


17 


This  is  what  some  call  “serving  God.”  They 
prejudice  themselves  against  a  position  be  it  true  or 
false.  They  are,  therefore,  in  no  position  to  re¬ 
ceive  and  know  and  judge  righteous  judgment,  ac¬ 
cept  or  reject;  because  they  have  already  determined 
the  matter. 

In  dealing  with  righteousness  from  the  point  of 
actual  life  this  is  one  of  the  barriers  we  must  avoid, 
for  it  is  antagonistic  and  damaging  to  that  which  we 
seek. 

For  clear  thinking  there  should  also  be  clear  de¬ 
fining. 

The  question,  therefore,  arises ;  what  is  righteous¬ 
ness?  seeing  it  has  so  much  to  do  with  life. 

What  is  meant  by  righteousness? 

This  is  a  fair  question.  It  is  akin  to  questions  we 
ask  many  times  in  life.  It  is  not  necessarily  confined 
to  the  idea  of  utility  of  righteousness.  The  concep¬ 
tion  of  utility  is  there.  It  means  this,  but  may  we 
not  hope  that  it  means  much  more  than  this. 

There  is  a  utility  to  righteousness  which  we  should 
not  overlook,  but  now  let  us  hope  the  desire  which 
includes  utility  is  much  more  than  mere  utility. 

May  we  not  expect  an  awakened  desire  to  dis¬ 
cover  the  truth.  Yes  and  even  more  than  this  of 
discovery,  that  of  an  earnest  desire  to  know  the  truth 
in  order  that  we  may  follow  it. 

To  know,  to  understand,  to  desire,  to  be,  to  do, 
these  are  prerogatives  which  belong  to  us  men.  Why 
stop  at  the  lowest  ones  when  we  have  an  open  field 
to  the  highest? 

What  do  we  mean  by  righteousness? 


i8 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


There  are  several  definitions  given  by  our  English 
lexicographers  which  will  help  us  to  get  a  start. 

First — “Righteousness  is  comprehending  holy 
principle  and  affections  of  the  heart,  or,  conformity 
of  life  to  the  divind  law.”  Int.  Diet. 

Second — “Righteousness  is  applied  to  righteous 
acts,  or  righteous  qualities.”  Is.  64:6.  “All  of  our 
righteousness  are  as  filthy  rags.”  Int.  Diet. 

Let  us  start  with  these  two  conceptions,  as  we 
advance  we  will  overtake  others.  The  first  defini¬ 
tion  “comprehending  holy  principles  and  affections 
of  heart,”  that  is  to  say,  walk  around  them,  see  them 
from  all  sides,  and  understand  these  principles  and 
affections  of  the  heart. 

Righteousness  starts  with  the  thoughts,  concep¬ 
tions,  and  motive  powers  of  the  inner  life,  the  heart. 

Some  people  are  skeptical  at  this  point;  contend¬ 
ing  that  righteousness  is  in  the  outward  act  and 
not  in  the  motive  prompting  the  act.  They  have  to 
contend  against  facts.  There  is  no  ground  for  a 
controversy  here.  Facts  stand  against  it. 

If  facts  can  not  convince  them  arguments  will  not. 

The  ground  of  righteousness  is  well  established. 
We  have  to  deal  not  alone  with  truth  but  facts. 
Righteousness  has  its  bearing  in  the  secret  chambers 
of  the  life,  where  only  the  individual  knows  the 
counsel  of  his  own  heart  and  no  eye  sees  but  God 
alone. 

Again,  righteousness  starts  in  the  inner  life,  but 
it  extends  outward  from  the  hidden  life  in  words 
and  acts  and  deeds. 

It  is  at  this  point  of  outward  life  that  we  begin  to 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


19 


see  and  understand  the  issue  of  other  men’s  lives. 

Their  deeds  and  words  are  the  expression  of  the 
inner  life.  We  can  only  know  and  interpret  their 
life  by  their  words  and  deeds. 

These  are  definitions  good  so  far  as  they  go.  But 
would  we  be  able  to  recognize  righteousness  if  we 
should  meet  with  it  ? 

When  a  new  invention  is  discovered  and  a  ma¬ 
chine  is  made  which  emancipates  men  from  servi¬ 
tude  and  drudgery  our  nation  recognizes  the  bene¬ 
fits  the  inventor  has  conferred  upon  humanity,  and 
gives  him  a  franchise,  and  protects  him  in  his  rights 
for  a  time. 

But  the  government  asks  of  him,  to  make  a  model 
or  a  drawing  demonstrating  the  working  principle 
and  the  utility  of  his  machine. 

Perhaps  a  drawing,  an  illustration  will  help  to 
reach  the  conception  of  righteousness  from  the  point 
we  wish  to  consider  it  at  present. 

There  was  a  young  man,  one  of  a  large  family 
and  because  of  the  meagerness  of  home,  he  started 
out  when  yet  in  his  teens  to  make  his  own  living. 
Like  many  boys  living  in  small  towns  success  for 
him  was  in  the  city  and  he  went  there  to  find  it. 

His  was  an  intense  nature,  whatever  he  did  he  put 
his  life  into  his  work.  He  soon  found  work.  In 
the  course  of  time  he  became  a  member  of  a  Sabbath 
school  class.  The  teacher  was  interested  in  the  boy’s 
receiving  a  true  conception  of  life.  This  boy  was 
converted  and  became  a  Christian.  He  put  his  life 
into  his  religious  experience.  In  the  course  of  time 
he  gave  up  the  business  life  and  became  a  preacher 


20 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


of  the  grace  of  God.  By  and  by  he  returned  to  his 
native  town  to  live.  He  bought  one  of  those  old 
New  England  homes  with  plenty  of  room  in  it.  In 
the  town  he  found  girls  who  were  not  going  to 
school  because  of  need.  He  gathered  them  together 
in  his  own  home  and  procured  a  teacher  for  them. 

In  the  course  of  time  the  school  grew  until  he  ap¬ 
pealed  to  friends  to  help  him  build  a  building  for 
them  and  extend  the  work.  This  was  done  and 
the  Lord  wonderfully  blessed  the  work.  He  was 
so  encouraged  by  the  Lord  and  men  helping  that 
he  was  led  to  build  a  school  for  boys. 

He  used  his  influence  and  the  town  built  a  large 
church  for  the  reason  the  old  one  was  not  large 
enough  to  hold  the  people  who  came.  He  preached 
himself  but  always  saw  that  the  people  had  a  pastor 
to  minister  to  their  need. 

Ele  took  an  interest  in  the  town.  They  improved 
the  streets,  and  lighted  them  and  cleaned  up  the 
village. 

He  drew  men  of  means  to  the  town.  He  helped 
to  start  other  enterprises.  His  name  spread  far 
and  wide.  His  influence  was  as  great  as  his  name. 
He  was  called  to  help,  from  far  and  near  in  many 
good  works.  He  had  power  with  God  and  man. 
He  was  a  mighty  preacher  of  righteousness.  Thou¬ 
sands  were  converted,  and  turned  from  the  power 
of  sin  to  serve  the  Living  God. 

By  and  by  he  died.  Men  came  to  Northfield. 
Men  sent  messages  of  condolence  and  words  of 
praise  and  gratitude. 

Memorial  meetings  were  held  in  many  of  the 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


21 


churches  in  our  country  and  in  England,  and  Scot¬ 
land,  and  Ireland. 

“He  was  a  good  man” — “a  just  man” — “a  con¬ 
siderate  man” — “a  faithful  man” — “a  truthful 
man” — “a  wise  man” — “a  gracious  man” — but  what 
term — what  word — what  adjective  shall  we  use  to 
describe  the  whole  life  of  D.  L.  Moody? 

It  would  seem  that  the  best  term  to  use  is  “a 
righteous  life.”  And  for  this  reason.  It  is  more 
comprehensive — It  takes  a  life  and  gathers  together, 
and  holds  forth  all  of  the  realtities  that  righteousness 
means. 

It  is  in  this  sense  that  we  use  language. 

The  adjectives  good,  just,  faithful,  loving,  merci¬ 
ful,  patient,  compassionate,  gracious  describes  the  at¬ 
tributes  and  qualities  of  life’s  acts,  but  when  we 
would  sum  up  life’s  works  in  one  thought  these 
words  fail  to  give  us  the  full  meaning. 

We  feel  the  poverty  of  these  words  to  express  all 
that  such  a  life  really  and  truly  demands. 

Again,  a  man  may  be  just  but  not  patient.  He 
may  be  wise  but  not  gracious.  He  may  be  good  but 
lack  in  wisdom.  One  attribute  may  be  there  but 
others  may  be  wanting. 

In  summing  up  a  life  for  a  greater  or  shorter 
period  necessity  seems  to  demand  a  different  term 
of  expression.  And  it  is  different  for  it  is  the  aggre¬ 
gate  of  life. 

Into  the  crucible  of  life  has  been  poured  many  of 
the  attributes,  and  as  they  have  been  watched  over, 
tempered,  controlled,  and  brought  forth  by  the  per¬ 
sonality  of  the  man,  it  is  no  more  than  just  that  a 


22 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


different  term  should  be  used  covering  the  whole 
field  of  action  and  work  accomplished. 

The  Scriptures  describe  such  a  man  as  “a  righte¬ 
ous  man.”  Here  we  have  the  two  conceptions  we 
started  with  worked  out  into  actual  life. 

We  also  have  gained  a  higher  conception  of  righte¬ 
ousness.  For  in  this  sense  righteousness  is  used  to 
mean  the  thought,  the  concept  which  gives  the  move¬ 
ment,  the  motive  power,  the  trend  and  flow  of  life, 
as  well  as  the  word  spoken,  the  deed  done,  and  the 
work  accomplished. 

At  this  point  we  should  notice  the  range,  the 
stretch,  that  is  the  field  of  righteousness. 

This  conception  of  righteousness  holds  good  on 
earth  and  in  heaven.  This  is  true  with  God  and 
with  man.  There  are  not  two  standards,  one  for 
earth  and  another  for  heaven.  The  standard  is  uni¬ 
versal.  We  men  never  gain  anything  by  trying 
to  lower  the  standard  of  righteousness,  or,  in  trying 
to  make  a  double  standard. 

Singleness  of  mind  and  heart  here  is  all  important 
to  a  clear  understanding  of  righteousness.  Seeing 
eye  to  eye  here  with  God  is  life. 

There  can  not  be  two  standards  and  come  in  the 
range  of  righteousness,  if  we  look  at  it  from  the 
point  of  nature  or  kind.  Righteousness  does  not 
admit  of  double  dealings — double  standards.  One 
standard  for  heaven  and  another  for  earth. 

We  men  gain  nothing  by  trying  to  drag  heaven’s 
conception  of  righteousness  down  to  earth’s  imper¬ 
fect  way  of  thinking  of  it.  Rather  our  safety  and 
security  is  in  exalting  earth’s  standard  to  heaven’s 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


23 


conception. 

True  in  the  Bible  we  read  of  men’s  righteousness 
and  of  God’s,  but  it  is  by  way  of  contrast.  Rom. 
10:1-6.  There  are  not  two  kinds  of  righteousness, 
one  of  earth  and  the  other  of  heaven.  It  is  an  at¬ 
tempt  of  man  to  so  make  it  appear  as  if  there  were 
two  kinds.  But  it  is  only  an  attempt.  And  an 
attempt  that  heaven  has  never  been  willing  to  rec¬ 
ognize. 

The  hope  of  men,  and  of  nations  is  not  in  pressing 
and  contending  for  this  point  of  self-righteousness, 
but  our  hope  is  in  conceding  to  heaven,  heaven’s 
position. 

There  is  but  one  standard  of  righteousness  and 
that  is  the  one  God  has  made  known.  One  standard, 
therefor,  one  in  nature — one  in  kind.  But  one  which 
admits  of  degree  and,  therefor,  of  difference,  when 
viewed  from  other  points  than  those  of  nature  or 
kind.  This  we  recognize  and  allow,  yet  to  some  it 
may  and  does  appear  as  different  kinds.  But  here 
in  Rom.  10:1-6  the  comparison  is  not  at  the  point 
of  nature  or  kind  but  of  degree  or  quality. 

It  is  not  inconsistent  to  righteousness  to  admit  of 
degree  or  quality,  seeing  that  righteousness  is  pro¬ 
gressive  in  the  lives  of  men  and  nations.  Nor  is  it 
derogatory  to  heaven’s  standard  that  earth  reaches 
up  to  its  attainment.  It  is  the  child  imitating  the 
father.  And  there  is  good  and  just  ground  for 
pronouncing  over  such  a  life,  who  had  held  heaven’s 
high  standard  of  rectitude  before  him,  and  has  tried 
to  shape  his  life  by  the  very  nature  of  righteousness ; 
who  in  thought,  and  word,  and  deed  has,  at  least 


24 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


to  some  degree,  earnestly  and  honestly  ordered  his 
life  that  its  movements,  its  trend,  its  flow  and  deeds, 
while  not  perfect  in  the  absolute  as  God’s  is  perfect, 
yet  in  thought,  purpose,  motive,  plan,  word,  and 
deed  it  has  been  heavenward ;  there  is  some  good  and 
just  ground  to  pronounce  over  such  a  life  this  name 
that  we  regard  so  highly,  and  which  the  scriptures  do 
not  hesitate  to  do  “A  righteous  man” — “A  righteous 
life.” 

We  are  not  saying  we  men  may  not  be  deceived 
in  making  our  summary  of  life.  We  do  not  see  mo¬ 
tives  first  hand  and  can  only  interpret  them.  We 
should  recognize  our  limitations.  We  have  never¬ 
theless  a  starting  basis  for  our  understanding  of 
righteousness.  A  conception  that  enters  into  the 
thought,  the  motive,  the  trend,  the  movement,  and 
the  flow  of  life. 


DIVISION  II 


THE  NECESSITY  OF  DEFINING  THE  TERM  TO  MEET 
A  LARGER  CONCEPTION  IS  FOUND  IN  THE 
RIGHTEOUSNESS  OF  JEHOVAH-ELOHIM 

HP  HE  most  perplexing  question,  perhaps  con- 
A  fronting  the  nations  of  the  w<?rld  today,  and 
one  that  will  stand  all  the  study,  and  bear  all  the 
light  thrown  on  it,  is  this  thought  of  righteousness 
in  its  relation  to  the  world’s  peace. 

As  one  steps  aside,  in  order  that  he  might  look  at 
and  consider  the  efforts  of  men,  he  is  impressed  with 
forms  of  contradiction  which  work  strife,  confu¬ 
sion,  and  division  in  the  thinking  world. 

As  these  efforts  of  men  and  nations  are  studied 
and  classified  with  a  search  for,  and  a  hope  in  a 
synthesis — or  a  solution  of  the  problem,  or  a  con¬ 
cept  that  will  work  harmony  out  of  disorder,  he 
might  see  that  a  large  proportion  of  these  differences 
arise  out  of  the  emphasis,  or,  the  stress  laid  either  on 
Law,  or,  the  works  of  men,  or,  what  we  know  as  the 
Gospel. 

This  stress,  this  emphasis  of  men  and  nations  ad¬ 
mits  of  the  personality  of  the  individual,  as  it  should, 
who  may  be  presenting  the  line  of  thought.  In  turn, 
most  of  us  are  quick  in  interpreting  that  particular 
form  being  presented,  at  times  making  the  speaker 
the  exponent  of  that  particular  form.  Thus  we  pit 
man  with  man,  nation  with  nation,  forms  of  right- 

25 


26 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


eousness  with  other  forms,  and  we  have  leaders  and 
schools  of  thought,  and  forms  of  governments.  Then 
it  is  we  study  and  emphasize  the  differences,  in  place 
of  seeking  the  likeness,  the  unity,  the  harmony,  the 
synthesis. 

The  present  day  movement,  in  place  of  laying  the 
stress  on  the  difference,  seeks  to  place  it  on  the  like¬ 
ness,  the  unity,  the  harmony,  or,  the  synthesis. 

This  is  positive  research  rather  than  negative. 

And  because  of  this  procedure  we  believe  the  pos¬ 
sibility  for  up-building  is  greater. 

Friction  and  strife  may  thus  be  eliminated. 

The  chances  of  life  are  increased.  The  flow  of 
life  is  easy  and  more  regular,  and  a  possible  under¬ 
standing  of  a  world’s  peace  reached. 

That  there  is  a  certain  righteousness  belonging  to 
the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  well  as  a 
righteousness  which  belongs  to  the  Law  of  God  is 
one  of  the  fundamental  principles  of  the  Scriptures. 

That  in  either  the  Law  or  the  Gospel  righteous¬ 
ness  is  of  the  same  kind,  or,  nature  will  not  admit 
even  of  a  shadow  of  doubt. 

In  either,  the  essence  of  righteousness  is  being — 
doing  in  the  fullest  sense  of  these  terms,  whether  it 
be  at  the  point  of  receiving  the  conception,  the  mo¬ 
tive  that  actuates,  the  will  that  does  the  deed,  the 
word  spoken,  or  the  deed  done.  There  is  nothing 
contradictory  in  the  word  righteousness  itself  when 
understood  in  its  full  significance. 

The  forms  of  contradiction  which  work  this  divi¬ 
sion  grow  largely  out  of  misconceptions  and  unwar¬ 
ranted  interpretations. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


27 


Words,  like  lakes,  are  great  indentures  into  which 
meaning  like  water  has  been  flowing  for  ages.  And 
like  the  water  all  that  has  flowed  into  it  has  not 
continued  in  the  same  form.  The  wash  of  cen¬ 
turies  has  brought  in  new  solutions.  There  has 
been  a  great  evaporation  going  on  continually.  The 
sediments  have  settled  and  solidified  at  the  bottom. 
The  effect  of  times  and  seasons  have  developed  many 
new  results. 

Words  are  as  sensitive  to  changes  as  are  the  shores 
of  a  great  lake.  We  look  into  its  depth  and  search 
for  all  it  contains.  There  are  traditions  usually  as¬ 
sociated  with  it  and  a  history  surrounding  it  which 
helps  to  make  it  something  more  than  a  mere  nomen- 
clator. 

This  word  righteousness  is  an  old  word.  It  has 
come  down  through  the  ages.  It  has  been  receiving 
and  holding  that  which  has  flowed  into  it  from  many 
directions.  And  because  of  the  source  from  which 
it  has  drawn  its  meaning,  and  the  ages  it  has  been 
receiving  we  might  expect  something  corresponding¬ 
ly  great,  deep,  and  grand  a  veritable  lake  Superior  in 
every  respect. 

The  task  to  be  undertaken  here  is  to  travel  with 
the  reader  from  the  shore  of  righteousness  as  found 
in  the  Law  of  God  to  the  shore  of  righteousness 
found  in  the  Gospel  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
and  in  so  doing  we  will  pass  by  the  way  of  the  shore 
of  the  Works  of  men  and  nations. 

The  deep  channel  of  righteousness  runs  from  the 
Law  on  one  side  of  the  lake  to  the  Gospel  on  the 
opposite  side.  If  the  two  remaining  shores  widen 


28 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


out  and  become  shallow  it  is  for  our  good  and  un¬ 
derstanding.  We  are  to  travel  from  the  Law  where 
we  receive  our  first  conception  of  righteousness,  to 
the  Gospel  by  the  way  of  Works  and  this  will  be 
by  the  way  of  one  of  the  shallow  shores. 

The  old  Hebrew  “Law  Giver’’  while  writing 
and  interpreting  the  Mosaic  code  used  no  more  im¬ 
portant  word  than  this  word  righteousness  and  its 
auxiliaries. 

It  was  the  meaning  contained  in  this  word 
Righteousness  which  was  poured  into  the  nation, 
Israel,  by  its  law-giver  that  settled  and  solidified  and 
which  became  the  very  bed  rock  of  their  national  life. 

Plato,  the  Greek  Philosopher,  who  helped  to  shape 
and  mould  the  Greek  thought.  Yes  perhaps  himself 
the  greatest  exponent  of  Grecian  life,  in  his  system 
of  ethics  recognizes  as  the  cardinal  virtues,  two 
foundamentals. 

First — “Wisdom.  In  its  highest  form  Philo¬ 
sophy.” 

Second — “That  harmonious  regulation  of  psy¬ 
chical  impulses  and  activities,  which  (using  his  own 
words)  he  gives  as  the  essences  of  Righteousness.” 

Whatever  the  Romans  may  have  done  for  the  na¬ 
tions,  there  has  been  no  contribution  more  perman¬ 
ent  and  beneficial  than  its  system  of  Law  and  its 
conception  of  Justice. 

There  has  poured,  for  centuries  these  mighty 
streams,  flowing  from  ‘  diverging  sources,  into  this 
word  Righteousness  meaning  which  has  supplied 
the  souls  of  men  with  psychical  food. 

We  should  stear  clear  of  a  conception  that  has 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


29 


been,  in  the  past,  all  too  prevalent,  namely,  that  right¬ 
eousness  is  wholly  a  legal  term.  That  it  is  only  con¬ 
cerned  with  Law.  That  only  a  legally  trained  mind 
can  understand  its  meaning.  Or,  that  there  is  no 
other  conception  of  righteousness  but  that  connected 
with  Law  and  associated  with  Justice. 

Isaiah,  the  Hebrew  prophet,  discovered  something 
more  than  this  centuries  ago  which  caused  him  to 
cry  out.  “Harken  unto  me  ye  that  follow  after 
righteousness,  ye  that  seek  the  Lord.  Look  unto 
the  rock  whence  ye  are  hewn,  and  unto  the  hole  of 
the  pit  whence  ye  are  digged.  My  righteousness 
is  near,  my  salvation  is  gone  forth, — But  my  salva¬ 
tion  shall  be  forever,  and  my  righteousness  shall  not 
be  abolished. — Harken  unto  me,  ye  that  know  righte¬ 
ousness,  the  people  in  whose  heart  is  my  law. — But 
my  righteousness  shall  be  forever,  and  my  salvation 
from  generation  to  generation.”  Is.  51:1  -8. 

Plato  recognized  a  common  moral  consciousness 
among  the  Greeks  that  was  different  from  mere 
justice. 

As  we  look  at  Law  we  may  be  looking  into  depths 
of  the  lake  at  a  place  we  may  not  be  able  to  fathom. 
This  we  are  willing  and  frank  to  acknowledge.  It 
strengthens  our  souls,  nevertheless,  to  look  occasion¬ 
ally  into  the  great,  the  deep  and  the  grand.  There 
is  an  inspiration  in  such  a  look  which  chastens  and 
subdues  and  sends  us  away  better  men. 

Here  and  now  our  attention  is  called  to  other 
meanings  of  the  word  as  well  as  justice. 

There  are  other  shores  which  are  extensions  of  the 
same  shore,  where  the  water  is  not  so  deep  and  the 


30 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


meaning  of  righteousness  may  be  better  apprehended. 

Law 'is  always  abstract  and  difficult  of  appre¬ 
hension.  Law  is  hard  for  us  children  of  nature  to 
understand.  We  have  all  seen  the  child  burn  its 
hand.  We  then  in  our  wisdom  have  undertaken  to 
explain  to  the  child  the  law  of  heat,  but  the  child 
grows  wise  not  so  much  by  our  explanation  as  it  does 
by  experience.  We  best  grasp  life  and  its  realities 
as  it  is  worked  out  into  life,  as  it  is  lived  by  some 
one.  And  just  so  we  may  know  righteousness  best 
as  it  is  worked  out  into  deeds. 

The  Law  in  essence  is  and  says  “Do  This  and 
Live.” 

There  are  two  thoughts  here  in  Law  which  are 
imperative  to  every  life. 

The  first  is  that  of  Doing. 

The  second  is  that  of  Living. 

The  Law  places  the  emphasis  on  the  first,  namely, 
that  of  Doing,  and  insists  on  strict  justice. 

Our  temptation  is  to  place  the  emphasis  on  the 
second,  namely  that  of  Living. 

Life  seems  to  concern  us  more  than  mere  doing  of 
the  law  does.  Here  is  where  we  may  and  do  step 
aside  from  strict  justice,  that  is  to  say  “We  miss  the 
mark”  “We  sin.” 

And  yet  life  is  so  connected  with  the  doing  of 
the  Law  that  a  strict  sense  of  justice  can  not  be 
ignored. 

We  will  never  be  able  to  measure  the  depths  of 
the  Law,  or,  the  meaning  of  righteousness  at  this 
point  of  justice  until  we  see  this  meaning  of  righte¬ 
ousness  effected  by  doing. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


31 


The  Law  says  “Do  this.”  The  essence  of  Law, 
therefore  is  Doing  as  well  as  Living.  We  may  call 
it  what  we  will,  but  Doing  has  been  called  for  ages 
work.  The  Law  which  says  “Do  this  and  live” 
literally  conveys  the  conception  of  “Work  and 
Live.”  This  meaning  from  a  strict  conception  of 
justice  is  a  universal  conception.  Figuratively 
speaking  it  means  cross  over  this  lake,  righteousness, 
and  you  will  find  life. 

We  may  associate  this  thought  of  Works,  or, 
what  it  stands  for  in  meaning  with  the  word  righte¬ 
ousness  as  much  as  ever  we  associated  the  concep¬ 
tion  of  justice  with  righteousness. 

Work  is  found  in  Law  as  truly  as  Justice  is 
found  in  Law.  You  see  it  is  not  a  play  on  words. 
It  is  bounded  by  the  extension  of  the  same  shore. 
We  are  yet  on  the  same  lake,  passing  from  the  ab¬ 
stract  shore  of  justice  found  in  the  Law  to  the 
concrete  worked  out  into  life,  namely,  that  of 
“Doing”  commanded  by  the  Law. 

We  common  people  who  have  not  the  abstract 
thought  to  feed  on,  but  plenty  of  work  to  do,  per¬ 
haps  can  reach  some  of  the  meaning  of  righteousness 
here.  We  put  the  meaning  of  the  word  something 
like  this  “We  Work  to  Live.” 

We  may  travel  a  long  way  around  this  lake  on 
this  shore  of  righteousness  found  in  works.  We 
better  grasp  and  understand  its  meaning  from  the 
point  of  Works.  Here  we  find  millions  of  people 
“Working,”  they  tell  us,  “For  Life.” 

We  will  find  the  water  deepens  again,  if  we  keep 
on  traveling  around  the  lake  on  this  shore,  until  it 


32 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


is  so  deep  we  can  not  fathom  it.  We  would  see  we 
are  on  the  opposite  shore,  had  we  eyes  to  see  clear 
across  the  lake,  from  the  deep  place  found  in  the 
Law  at  the  place  of  Justice.  But  it  is  not  Law 
here.  It  is  the  Gospel.  God’s  Love.  God’s 
Doings.  God’s  Works.  God’s  Righteousness. 

We  started  at  the  place  of  Law.  God’s  Law. 
And  we  are  told,  “That  the  law  is  holy  and  just 
and  good.”  Rom.  7:12.  But  here  in  Law  we 
find  the  water  so  deep,  the  meaning  so  difficult  of 
apprehension  that  we  do  not  always  understand 
Law. 

The  Law  says  “Do  this  and  live.”  That  is  to 
say,  “Cross  right  over  the  lake  to  the  opposite  shore 
and  you  shall  find  life.”  Here  we  receive  the  idea 
and  gain  the  conception,  and  this  from  the  Law 
itself,  of  doing  something. 

We  are  so  impressed  with  the  conception  of  do¬ 
ing,  and  that  by  the  Law,  that  we  put  forth  efforts 
to  cross  this  great  lake.  But  the  water  was  so  deep, 
and  the  distance  so  great  we  found  it  impossible, 
then  it  was  that  we  started  to  travel  around  the 
shore. 

Now  in  traveling  the  shore  in  place  of  crossing 
the  deep  we  gained  the  idea  of  doing,  that  is  of 
“Working.”  And  this  working,  this  doing,  has  its 
meaning  as  well  as  justice  in  this  word  righteousness. 

As  we  walked,  in  place  of  wading,  or  swimming, 
or  rowing  we  felt  and  gained  the  conception  we 
were  doing  something.  The  question  comes  now, 
and  from  the  point  of  Justice,  have  we  been  doing 
exactly  what  the  Law  demanded  of  us. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


33 


Have  we  not  been  getting  further  and  further 
away  from  the  strict  Justice  found  in  the  Law. 
Are  these  not  the  real  facts  in  the  case? 

The  Law  did  not  say  “Walk  around  the 
Lake!” 

It  pointed  us  directly  across  the  lake  to  the  oppo¬ 
site  shore  and  said  life  was  there  for  all  who  would 
cross  over. 

And  yet  the  Law  did  not  furnish  a  boat  with 
which  to  cross.  And  the  water  was  too  deep  to 
wade,  and  the  distance  too  great  for  us  to  swim.  Yet 
the  Law  told  us  Life  was  there  for  all.  But  the 
Law  would  not  help  any  to  procure  life. 

Notice  now,  in  going  around  the  lake  we  are  on 
the  shore  of  the  same  lake.  We  have  not  strayed 
away  from  Righteousness.  But  we  have  strayed 
from  the  strict  conception  of  Justice  found  in 
righteousness.  We  are  at  a  different  place  on  the 
same  lake.  We  are  on  the  shore  walking  around 
the  lake  and  it  is  hard  Work,  for  walking  is  hard 
work.  But  can  Works  give  Life? 

The  Law  when  we  were  close  to  Justice  said 
“Do  this  and  live.”  Yet  at  that  place,  the  word 
Righteousness  was  too  deep  for  us  to  fathom.  We 
then  started  to  find  a  shallower  shore  in  order  that 
we  might  live. 

But  the  Law  did  not  say  “Seek  a  shallow  shore,” 
or,  “Walk  around.”  The  Law  was  imperative  in 
its  demands.  It  said  “Cross  over  and  live.” 

The  Law  gave  us  limited  men  the  impossible  to 
do.  It  said  “Cross  right  over  to  the  other  side  and 
ye  shall  live.” 


34 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


It  was  then  we  found  the  water  was  too  deep  to 
wade,  and  it  was  too  far  to  swim,  and  the  Law  did 
not  furnish  a  boat. 

Then  it  was  that  we,  on  our  own  initiative,  by 
using  our  God  given  powers,  on  our  own  choice, 
start  to  find  a  way  around.  And  we  have  been 
working  with  a  determination  to  find  the  other  shore 
in  order  that  we  might  have  life. 

At  the  point  of  Justice  we  received  one  concep¬ 
tion  of  Righteousness.  Now,  at  the  point  of 
Works  we  will  receive  another  conception  not  an¬ 
tagonistic  to  the  former  conception  but  corellated. 

Let  us  see.  We  started  with  the  strict  meaning 
of  the  word,  Justice,  at  times  synonymous  with 
righteousness  and  viewed  righteousness  from  the 
point  of  Law.  We  then  walked  away  from  strict 
Justice  found  in  the  Law,  until  we  received  the 
meaning  of  Works  found  in  righteousness. 

Should  we  now  keep  on  going  we  will  find  the 
water  deepening,  but  now  in  place  of  deepening  from 
the  point  of  Justice  it  is  deepening  from  Works. 
And  yet  we  are  on  the  same  great  lake,  dealing  with 
the  same  word  Righteousness. 

This  is  very  discouraging  to  some. 

First — To  have  such  a  task  given  us  to  do. 

Second — When  on  our  own  initiative  we  start  to 
find  a  solution,  and  to  work  out  our  own  salvation, 
to  find  the  difficulties  increasing  just  at  the  time  and 
place  we  hoped  to  reach  the  goal. 

Here  it  is  called  the  Gospel  shore. 

Here  we  find  kindred  difficulties. 

Here  they  tell  us  we  did  not  cross  over,  but  that 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


35 


we  walked  around. 

Here  they  tell  us  all  our  works  will  not  procure 
life  for  us. 

Here  they  tell  us  that  we  disobeyed  the  Law. 

Here  they  call  us  sinners. 

They  tell  us  our  own  Works  prove  this  fact 
against  us. 

Over  here  they  distinctly  tell  us  that  the  Law  is 
not  the  Gospel. 

They  tell  us  that  the  Law  can  not  give  Life.  That 
God  never  intended  the  Law  to  give  Life. 

Here  they  say  that  the  Gospel  of  God’s  Grace 
can  give  Life. 

They  tell  us,  here  on  the  Gospel  shore,  our 
Works  will  not  procure  Life  for  us,  although  we 
have  walked  and  walked  for  these  years  in  order  that 
we  might  reach  this  place  and  find  Life. 

Our  Works,  they  tell  us,  are  away  below  par. 

They  tell  us  that  our  Works  will  not  be  reckoned 
with  in  the  process  of  procuring  Life. 

Here  every  one  is  talking  about  Faith,  and  about 
a  Righteousness  that  comes  by  faith. 

Here  they  claim  that  Life  is  procured  through 
The  Righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith. 
Phil.  3  :g. 

Over  on  the  other  side  we  were  told,  by  the  Law, 
“Do  this  and  live.”  This  we  know  is  Righte¬ 
ousness  at  the  strict  point  of  Justice. 

Now,  over  here,  they  say  “Righteousness  comes 
by  Faith.”  The  Gospel  says  “Believe  and  live.” 

This  they  call  Righteousness  at  the  point  of  the 
Gospel. 


36 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


We  have  been  deceived.  We  become  indignant. 
If  that  is  Christianity,  if  that  is  the  religion  of  the 
Bible  we  do  not  want  any  of  it.  Here  they  say 
“Faith  brings  life.”  Over  on  the  other  side  we 
were  told  “Cross  over  and  live.”  And  here  I 
have  been  working  for  forty  years  for  Life,  and 
working  hard. 

I  guess  I  will  run  my  risk  and  work  on.  I  guess 
I  will  stand  as  good  a  show  of  Life  as  these  Faith 
people.  I  have  something  to  show  for  this  forty 
years’  Work. 

Alas  !  Alas  !  So  many  in  the  reach  for  Life,  miss 
Life  just  at  this  place. 

Works!  Works!  Yes  we  found  when  we  left 
the  shore  of  strict  Justice  of  the  Law  because  we 
could  not  stand  the  task  given  us  to  do  by  the  Law 
that  we  discovered  something  else. 

That  which  we  discovered  is  this. 

We  did  not  sit  down  and  give  up  in  despair. 

We  started  to  do  something,  and  that  something 
was  to  walk  around  the  lake.  And  by  walking 
around  we  have  gained  this  conception  of  Righte¬ 
ousness  found  in  works. 

We  have  found  that  Works  enter  into  Righte¬ 
ousness  as  truly  as  Justice. 

One  is  an  intuitive  conception,  that  is,  seen  clearly 
without  deduction  or  reasoning. 

The  other  is  a  practical  conception,  that  is, 
worked  out  and  developed  in  life.  And  it  views 
Righteousness,  from  another  angle. 

Let  us  stop  a  moment,  long  enough  to  see,  we 
are  greater  men  than  we  were  when  we  first  awak- 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


37 


ened  to  the  conception  of  Righteousness  at  the 
point  of  Justice  found  in  the  Law. 

The  first  was  a  mere  intuitive  conception,  yet  one 
which  gave  to  us  bent  and  direction  in  life. 

We  now  have  two  conceptions  of  Righteous¬ 
ness. 

The  first,  an  abstract,  intuitive  conception,  that 

which  we  believe  Law  to  be. 

The  second,  a  practical,  workable  conception 
growing  out  of  efforts  of  our  own.  We  call  it 
Works,  and  this  also  is  the  biblical  conception. 

Since  these  are  the  facts  in  the  case,  and  we  have 
become  practical  inquirers,  had  we  not  bettei  ask 
what  the  Gospel  means. 

We  did  not  know  what  Righteousness  was 
when  we  first  started,  except  something  vague  and 
uncertain. 

We  are  seeking  Righteousness,  and  further,  we 
are  seeking  Life  by  the  way  of  Righteousness. 

Righteousness  is  what  we  are  after  for  we  aie 
persuaded  that  it  is  this  that  will  enable  us  to  stand 
now  and  hereafter  before  God  and  men. 

As  an  inquirer  then  let  us  ask,  ‘  What  do  you 
mean  by  the  Righteousness  which  comes  by 
Faith.” 

Friend.  Oh!  Have  you  never  heard. 

Inquirer.  No! 

Friend.  Well  you  have  been  talking  a  great  deal 
about  the  past  forty  years  of  your  life,  and  the  time 
you  walked  all  of  these  hundreds  of  miles  around 
this  lake,  and  it  has  been  hard  work  that  you  have 
done.  Well,  what  made  you  do  it? 


38 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Inquirer.  Well,  sir.  The  Law  told  us  on  the 
other  side,  “If  we  would  cross  over  to  this  side  we 
should  Live.”  I  wanted  to  Live.  I  could  not  cross 
over,  and  so  I  started  to  walk  around. 

Friend.  Well,  has  all  this  walking  given  you  a 
good  practical  conception  of  righteousness. 

Inquirer.  It  has  that  my  friend.  And  now 
you  over  here  seem  to  think  that  this  hard  Work  is 
not  worth  much. 

Friend.  Oh!  Yes  we  do.  But  Works  do  not 
procure  life  for  us.  You  see!  God  gives  us  Life 
over  here.  Every  one  who  believes  in  the  Gospel 
of  his  Son  has  Life.  We  do  not  work  for  Life 
here.  It  is  God’s  good  pleasure  to  give  us  Life. 

Inquirer.  Well,  what  then  is  the  Gospel? 

Friend.  What  is  the  Gospel?  The  Gospel  is 
God's  Righteousness  made  manifest  in  the  face 
of  Jesus  Christ.  “To  give  the  light  of  the  knowl¬ 
edge  of  the  glory  of  God  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ.” 
II.  Cor.  4:6.  “And  be  found  in  him,  not  having  a 
righteousness  of  mine  own,  even  that  which  is  of 
the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  faith  in  Christ.” 
Phil.  3  :g.  “The  righteousness  of  God  by  Faith.” 
Phil.  3  :g .  “Him  who  knew  no  sin  he  made  to  be 
sin  on  our  behalf ;  that  we  might  become  the  righte¬ 
ousness  of  God  in  him.”  II.  Cor.  5:21. 

Inquirer.  Oh!  You  mean  the  Gospel  is  God’s 
Doings?  God’s  Works?  God’s  Righteousness? 

Friend.  Yes,  that  is  just  what  we  mean.  God 
has  not  been  idle  all  of  these  six  thousand  of  years. 
God’s  interest  has  not  waned  in  the  nations  of  men 
while  the  nations  have  been  groping  and  seeking 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


39 


Life.  God’s  Works  are  so  much  greater  than 
man’s  that  man’s  works  pale  into  insignificance. 
And  men  like  Isaiah  count  their  “righteousness  as 
refuse,  filthy  rags.”  And  Paul  said  “He  counted  his 
righteousness  as  refuse  to  be  thrown  aside  for  the 
excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord.”  Phil.  3  :8. 

Inquirer.  God’s  Righteousness  you  say? 
That  is  something  new  to  me.  My  first  conception 
over  on  the  other  side,  was  an  intuitive  idea.  God’s 
gift  to  me  by  nature.  That  it  is,  which  gives  bent 
and  direction  to  Life.  Over  there  they  told  us  “To 
cross  over  and  Live.”  I  tried  to  do  it.  I  waded 
out  into  the  Lake  until  the  water  was  over  my  head. 

I  went  back  to  shore  and  procured  the  ten-foot  pole, 
which  they  called  “The  Law,”  and  I  could  not 
touch  the  bottom.  I  went  back  again  and  they  gave 
me  what  they  called  “The  line  and  the  plum¬ 
met.”  I  swam  out  and  could  not  strike  the  bottom. 

I  went  back  to  shore  and  told  them.  They  all 
smiled  assuringly  and  said  “That  is  true.^  No  man 
as  yet  has  been  able  to  fathom  the  Law. 

I  then  asked  for  a  boat.  They  said  There  was 
none  to  be  had.”  And  yet,  they  assured  me  Life 
was  on  this  side. 

I  then  asked,  was  there  a  way  around  the  Lake. 
They  were  not  so  sure.  They  supposed  there  was, 
but  they  said  “You  are  not  fool  enough  to  walk 

around  are  you.”  „ 

I  thought  a  moment,  and  said,  “I  guess  I  am. 

I  sat  down  and  began  to  reason  about  the  condi¬ 
tions.  I  found  they  all  had  this  intuitive  conception 


I 


40  The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


of  Justice  and  Righteousness.  I  also  found  that 
they  all  talked  learnedly  on  the  different  features 
of  Law  and  Righteousness.  I  then  came  to  the 
conclusion  I  was  just  like  other  men,  that  is,  I  was 
not  daft  or  unbalanced  or  a  fool. 

I  then  began  to  look  around  me.  Which  way 
should  I  go?  I  sat  down  with  some  of  my  friends 
and  went  over  the  whole  question  with  them.  They 
said  my  logic  was  all  right.  That  they  had  come  to 
the  same  conclusion. 

I  asked  them,  why  then  are  you  satisfied  to  remain 
in  this  condition  of  life.  They  pointed  out  the 
failures  of  others.  Some  had  started  and  then  came 
back.  They  also  told  of  the  men  who  had  perished. 

I  then  made  up  by  mind  it  was  a  question  of 
death  if  I  stayed  there.  Then  this  conception  of 
doing  something  began  to  impress  me  as  a  part  of 
Righteousness,  and  I  could  not  feel  I  was  Justi¬ 
fied  in  not  trying,  nor  could  I  get  away  from  this 
impress  of  doing  something  to  better  my  conditions. 

Then  I  started  and  this  conception  of  doing  some¬ 
thing  began  to  impress  me  as  a  part  of  Righteous¬ 
ness,  and  I  could  not  get  away  from  it. 

I  determined  to  follow  out  this  conception  and  the 
further  1  walked  and  the  harder  I  walked  the  clearer 
did  this  conception  of  Righteousness  by  Works 
become  logical  to  me. 

I  examined  the  waters  day  by  day.  I  studied 
the  shores  and  found  foot  prints  in  the  sand.  I  said 
where  men  have  gone  I  could  go.  The  further  I 
came  the  moie  foot  prints  I  found,  and  the  more  I 
was  convinced  that  it  was  by  Works  that  we  found 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


4i 


Life. 

And  now  you  tell  us  “Life  comes  by  Faith.” 
“That  Life  is  a  gift  of  God.”  “And  talk  of  a 
Righteousness  that  comes  by  Faith.” 

Let  me  see.  I  traveled  all  this  way  around  this 
lake  of  Righteousness.  This  is  my  Righteous¬ 
ness.  What  did  you  say  God’s  Righteousness 
consisted. 

Friend.  I  have  not  said.  I  will  say  now,  since 
you  ask.  It  consists  in  “wisdom,  and  righteousness 
or  (justice),  and  sanctification,  and  redemption.” 
I  Cor.  2.30. 

Inquirer.  Well,  that  opens  up  something  new 
to  me. 

Friend.  Yes!  Yes!  But  have  you  noticed  that 
the  water  was  deeper  ? 

Inquirer.  Yes  and  I  could  not  account  for  it. 
Let  me  find  myself.  A  third  conception  of  Righte¬ 
ousness.  A  Righteousness  that  comes  by  Faith. 
I  have  never  seen  Righteousness  in  that  light. 
This  must  be  the  light  they  call  “The  Gospel.” 

Friend.  Yes  it  is,  and  it  is  more  glorious,  and 
grand,  and  deep  than  the  Righteousness  by  the 
Law  or  that  by  the  Works  of  Men. 

Inquirer.  But  you  are  bold  and  positive  in 
your  assertions.  We  on  the  other  side  have  never 
found  anything  that  could  compare  with  strict  Jus¬ 
tice  and  the  Law,  and  that  sacred  thing  written  on 
the  hearts  of  men.  Why!  You  are  so  positive  and 
assertive  that  this  you  call  the  “Gospel”  comes  as 
a  challenge  to  me.  We  are  not  willing  to  grant  you 


42 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


all  this.  We  also,  have  somewhat  of  which  to  glory. 
For  the  Law  is  older,  I  am  sure  you  will  have  to 
admit.  And  nations,  and  ages,  and  generations  of 
men  have  brought  their  best,  their  most  sacred  and 
poured  it  into  “The  Law.”  The  floods  of  gener¬ 
ations  of  Hebrews,  and  of  Greeks,  and  of  Romans, 
and  many  ancient  and  modern  nations  have  baptized 
the  Law  with  their  own  blood.  And  scholars  of  all 
lands  have  worshiped  before  the  Altar  of  Justice 
and  Law.  Righteousness  is  said  “to  be  of-  the 
Law.”  The  more  we  Work  the  more  we  are  con¬ 
vinced  that  Righteousness  has  somewhat  to  do 
with  Law. 

Friend.  But  you  just  said  that  you  had  discov¬ 
ered  a  second  conception  of  Righteousness,  other 
than  that  contained  in  Law.  That  finer  develop¬ 
ment  of  Righteousness  you  have  attained  by 
Works.  This  is  the  conception  we  would  have 
you  grasp  at  this  time  and  place,  namely,  that  all  of 
these  years,  during  all  these  ages  and  generations  of 
men  and  nations,  God  also  has  been  Working  as 
well  as  men  and  nations,  and  Working  for  the  na¬ 
tions  of  Earth  to-day.  That  God’s  Works  are 
infinitely  greater  than  ours.  And  that  God’s  Work 
brings  to  the  nations  a  wealth  of  Righteousness, 
in  the  form  of  Wisdom,  and  Justice,  and  Sanc¬ 
tification,  and  Redemption.  And  that  this 
Righteousness  of  God’s  comes  by  Faith,  and 
means  Life  to  men  and  nations.  That  the  knowl¬ 
edge  you  have  gained  the  Righteousness  by  your 
Works  is  all  important  to  your  Faith.  It  will 
.  become  a  teacher  for  your  faith.  But  your  Works 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


43 


can  not  merit  or  procure  for  you  God’s  Righteous¬ 
ness,  for  the  simple  reason  God  longs  to  give  it  to 
us  men,  and  He  is  no  respector  of  persons,  but 
counts  us  all  on  the  same  level,  that  is,  Sinners, 
in  order  that  He  may  treat  us  all  alike,  with  his 
mercy,  and  give  Life  to  every  one  who  believes  in 
His  Son. 

Inquirer.  Then  it  is  Faith  in  that  which  God 
has  done  and  not  what  I  have? 

Friend.  Yes,  that  is  just  what  we  mean. 

Inquirer.  Why  then  my  Works  are  of  some 
value  to  me  yet  in  Life. 

Friend.  Oh!  Yes,  of  great  value  to  you.  But 
your  Works  can  not,  and  do  not,  procure  for  you 
salvation  from  sin,  for  the  simple  reason  it  is  God’s 
good  pleasure  to  bestow  this  favor  on  us  men. 
And  will  men  rob  God  of  this  Pleasure?  Your 
Works  will  help  you  to  understand  God’s  Works. 
Your  effort  after  Righteousness  will  help  you  to 
grasp  the  Eternal  Righteousness  of  God.  Your 
conception  of  Righteousness  will  be  of  great  value 
unto  you  as  you  look  at  the  Righteousness  of 
God  made  manifest  in  the  face  of  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord. 

Inquirer.  Say  Brother,  how  much  further  is  it 
around  this  lake? 

Friend.  Oh.  You  are  not  half  way  around  it. 
You  are  just  coming  to  the  shore  of  Faith.  The 
water  will  deepen,  even  deeper  than  on  the  other  side 
where  Law  holds  sway. 

Inquirer.  Do  you  mean  to  say,  as  I  journey,  I 
am  to  study  Righteousness  from  the  point  of 


44 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Faith. 

Friend.  Yes  that  is  just  what  is  meant,  if  you 
are  going  to  study  righteousness  and  some  day  under¬ 
stand  its  full  meaning. 

Inquirer.  Say  Friend  what  is  your  name? 

Friend.  Why  asketh  thou  this? 

Inquirer.  What  a  fool  I  am.  Why  did  I  not 
have  sense  enough  not  to  be  so  personal  ? 

“Faith,”  “Faith?”  “Faith  in  God”  he  said. 

Why  I  have  always  believed  in  God.  Yes  I  have 
never  doubted  God.  Faith  what  is  it  any  way? 
Faith?  Works  has  always  been  my  religion!  Let 
me  see.  It  may  be  that  I  have  been  too  self  centered. 
He  intimated  that  much  to  me. 

Then  he  talked  about  God’s  Righteousness  as 
if  it  was  the  real  thing.  He  said  I  must  have  Faith 
in  God’s  Righteousness  and  not  in  my  own  to  pro¬ 
cure  Life. 

I  really  felt  in  his  presence  as  I  always  thought 
the  people  on  the  other  side  felt  when  I  spoke  to 
them  of  making  this  journey.  Why  I  believe  I  be¬ 
gin  to  see  it  now. 

Yet,  I  am  not  satisfied. 

I  have  not  received  that  blessing  of  Life.  And 
here  I  am  on  this  side.  So  far  as  Life  is  concerned 
I  am  no  better  off  than  I  was  on  the  other  side. 

I  might  as  well  now  be  on  the  other  side?  No! 
There  is  a  difference  between  me  now,  and  those  on 
the  other  side. 

But  what  is  the  difference?  Well,  they  are  on  one 
side  of  the  lake  and  I  am  on  the  other.  But  that  is 
physical. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


45  ‘ 


They  of  the  other  side,  said,  “I  would  find  life 
on  this  side.”  The  Law  is  not  true  then.  Yes! 
but  the  Law  is  true.  Did  I  not  settle  that  question 
before  I  started  from  the  other  side,  and  all  over 
there  believe  the  Law  to  be  true. 

But  I  have  not  received  Life  here .  Neither  have 
they  on  the  other  side  received  Life.  But  they  have 
not  put  forth  the  effort  I  have  to  find  Life.  Well, 
is  not  this  another  difference?  Yes,  this  is  physical 
plus  a  certain  psychical  effort  we  associate  with  the 
world  of  sense. 

But  I  have  a  knowledge  of  Righteousness  I 
have  gained  by  Works  that  they  have  not  on  the 
other  side.  Yes!  and  this  is  wholly  a  psychical  at¬ 
tainment,  that  is  to  say,  one  related  to  the  spiritual 
rather  than  to  the  physical  man. 

H  ow  did  I  come  by  it?  I  just  put  forth  efforts, 
some  physical,  some  mental,  some  spiritual.  Well, 
that  is  another  difference.  If  they  on  the  other  side 
were  to  put  forth  the  same  effort  they  also  would 
have  the  same. 

But  is  that  all?  I  some  how  use  to  think  and 
sometimes  felt,  while  talking  with  those  on  the  other 
side,  that  which  I  now  feel  so  strongly,  namely,  the 
consciousness  of  the  difference.  What  is  it?  Well, 
I  wanted  others  to  come  with  me  when  I  started 
from  the  other  side,  and  they  would  say  to  me  “I 
do  not  believe  we  can  ever  make  it.”  And  somehow 
while  this  Friend  was  talking  to  me,  I  thought  every 
time  he  said  “have  Faith  in  God’s  Righteous¬ 
ness”  I  felt,  like  they  seemed  to  me,  at  that  time. 

I  was  then  conscious  that  there  was  a  difference. 


46 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


And  while  this  Friend  talked  about  Faith  in  God’s 
Righteousness  somehow  it  seemed  to  lift  me  and 
make  me  want  it.  I  feel  now,  and  believe  I  would 
rather  die  right  here  than  ever  retrace  my  steps. 

Why,  this  is  just  the  same  kind  of  thoughts  and 
feelings  I  had  when  I  first  started  from  the  other 
side.  I  wonder  if  these  thoughts  and  feelings  have 
anything  to  do  with  Faith. 

While  on  the  other  side,  I  then  believed  God  was. 
I  now  believe  God  is.  I  then  was  looking  for 
Righteousness  to  save  me  and  give  me  life.  I  am 
now  looking  for  Righteousness  to  save  me  and 
give  me  life. 

Over  there  they  told  me  Righteousness  is  of  the 
Law  and  here  it  is  by  Faith  in  the  Gospel.  Over 
there  I  must  Work,  here  I  must  have  Faith. 

I  surely  have  a  knowledge  of  Righteousness  I 
did  not  have  when  I  started.  If  I  now  stop  will  I 
have  all  that  it  is  possible  for  me  to  have? 

Faith!  Sight!  Sight!  Faith!  Why  Faith 
is  kindred  to  belief,  for  belief  does  not  see,  it  hopes 
to  attain.  I  started  to  search  for  that  I  did  not  see, 
and  now  I  have  a  knowledge  of  Righteousness 
that  I  attained,  but  did  not  see  when  I  started  to 
seek.  Now  there  is  placed  before  me  a  Righteous¬ 
ness  by  Faith. 

There  is  only  one  logical  way  for  me,  and  that 
is  by  Faith,  for  when  I  started  I  believed  I  might 
obtain,  by  my  own  efforts  Righteousness  and  Life 
by  Righteousness. 

I  now  have  this,  my  own  Righteousness,  al¬ 
though  it  has  not  brought  me  Life.  Yet  I  am  in 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


47 


quest  of  Life. 

I  here  have  placed  before  me  God’s  Righteous¬ 
ness.  And  I  may  have  it  by  Faith. 

It  has  been  hard  Work  so  far.  It  would  be  just 
as  hard  if  I  was  to  return. 

Again,  it  would  seem  as  if  going  forward  was  the 
way  to  Life.  But  now  I  find  something  else.  I 
find  my  own  Spirit  more  hopeful  in  going  forward, 
toward  God’s  Righteousness  than  in  retreating. 
I  know  that  which  is  behind.  I  am  told  Life  is  be¬ 
fore  me.  What  more  can  I  do  than  go  forward.  I 
have  always  found  the  blessing  of  God  ahead  of  me. 

Oh !  I  see  it  now.  Why !  I  have  been  walking  by 
faith  these  many  years,  and  I  did  not  know  it. 

Why!  It  was  Faith  that  started  me  when  on 
the  other  side,  and  I  was  so  intent  on  Righteous¬ 
ness  that  I  did  not  recognize  Faith. 

Why!  I  really  and  truly  challenged  this  Friend 
in  my  boasts  of  Righteousness. 

He  spoke  of  this  very  thing  that  had  led  me  on, 
and  out,  and  up,  and  has  kept  me  going  all  of  these 
years. 

And  I  boasted  of  my  own  Works  as  if  it  was  my 
own  doings. 

No  wonder  that  he  left  me.  I  was  wise  in  my 
own  conceit.  He  said  all  I  could  hear.  He  told  all 
I  could  bear. 

I  see  it  now.  Faith  prompted  by  that  which 
God’s  Law  gave  me  to  do,  and  what  God  by  nature 
had  prepared  me  to  be,  started  and  kept  me  going  all 
of  these  years. 

But  here  is  a  Righteousness  that  comes  by 


48 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Faith.  God’s  Works.  God’s  Righteousness. 
Truly,  Truly,  it  is  a  Righteousness  higher  than 
the  righteousness  which  comes  by  the  Works  of 
man,  as  much  so  as  the  righteousness  by  Works  is 
higher  than  the  intuitive  sense  we  have  by  virtue 
of  being  born  Man. 


DIVISION  III 


JEHOVAH-ELOHIM’s  RIGHTEOUSNESS  IS  CO-EXTEN¬ 
SIVE  WITH  THE  DEVELOPMENT  OF  THE 

nation’s 

np  HE  one  thing  Jehovah  has  been  endeavoring 
to  do  all  through  the  generations  of  men,  that 
stands  out  in  the  scriptures,  that  has  worked  its  way 
into  the  history  of  the  nations,  and  has  been  develop¬ 
ed  in  the  human  family  beyond  and  above  others,  is 
to  give  a  clear  revelation  of  himself  and  his  righte¬ 
ousness  to  all  men. 

The  divine  energy  put  forth  in  this  way  (If  it 
be  permissible  so  to  speak)  runs  through  all  the 
generations  of  men,  and  is  traceable  through  the 
scriptures  as  a  great  system  is  across  the  map  of  a 
continent. 

We  all  have  some  knowledge  of  this  effort  of 
Jehovah,  but  few  ever  busy  themselves  to  follow 
out  this  righteousness  of  Jehovah,  except  as  when 
we  happen  to  cross  a  branch  of  it  and  it  concerns  us. 

All  of  us  have  some  knowledge  of  his  righteous¬ 
ness.  We  have  read  of  it  in  the  scriptures.  We  have 
heard  of  it  in  the  sanctuary.  We  have  been  convinc¬ 
ed  of  it  in  our  own  consciousness.  We  meet  with  it 
daily  in  life.  So  if  the  question  was  asked,  “has 
Jehovah  a  righteousness  of  his  own”  most  all 
would  answer  immediately  in  the  affirmative. 

But  if  kindred  questions  now  were  asked,  such  as, 
What  is  the  righteousness  of  Jehovah? 

49 


50 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


What  do  these  words  mean?  Is  there  any  mean¬ 
ing  at  all?  Is  it  just  a  cunning  way  of  starting  a 
ground  premise  from  which  afterward  is  builded  a 
system  of  religion? 

With  what  is  Jehovah’s  righteousness  concerned, 
or,  how  is  it  manifested  ?  * 

Has  his  righteousness  anything  to  do  with  the 
life  and  happiness  of  men  and  nations?  Or,  such 
and  kindred  questions  which  arise  with  the  first 
question,  and  our  answer  is  not  so  readily  given. 
We  recognize  that  the  water  is  deep. 

We  are  conscious  of  his  righteousness.  It  has 
worked  its  way  into  every  man’s  life.  Rom.  i  :20. 
Somehow,  it  may  have  been  in  many  ways,  this  con¬ 
sciousness  of  Jehovah’s  righteousness  is  well  rooted 
in  the  race  and  among  the  nations. 

Yet,  to  what  extent  is  his  righteousness  under¬ 
stood  by  the  world  to-day? 

The  burden  of  responsibility  seems  to  fall  in  the 
range  of  this  question. 

If  it  is  possible  and  within  the  reach  of  the  finite 
to  grasp  the  infinite,  at  least  to  some  degree.  If  we 
understand  Jehovah  in  his  dealings  with  the  na¬ 
tions,  this  appears  to  be  the  one  constant,  intent,  and 
consuming  effort  of  the  Almighty,  to  make  his 
Righteousness  known  to  the  nations,  and  to  give 
all  mankind  the  benefit  of  his  Life. 

This  appears  to  be  the  crowning  thought  of  rev¬ 
elation,  namely,  Jehovah  making  his  Righteous¬ 
ness  known  for  the  purpose  and  benefit  of  the  na¬ 
tions,  and  this  revelation  begins  with  the  beginning 
of  the  race. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


51 


We  are  not  speaking,  or,  presenting  an  argument 
in  favor  of  the  clearness  and  definiteness  of  the  reve¬ 
lation,  but  of  the  fact,  that  at  the  beginning  of  the 
race  it  was  made  known  by  Jehovah-Elohim. 

In  dealing  with  the  Righteousness  of  Jeho¬ 
vah-Elohim  it  staggers  our  thought. 

It  is  so  great  as  to  overpower  us.  We  see  it.  We 
know  of  it.  We  come  in  contact  with  it,  and  in  so 
doing  it  affects  us  in  some  such  way  as  climbing  a 
mountain. 

Our  energy  is  soon  exhausted.  We  soon  become 
satisfied  with  our  efforts. 

The  conception  is  so  overpowering.  It  is  like  the 
knowledge  we  have  of  the  earth  being  a  sphere.  We 
have  approached  this  knowledge  by  degrees  and  from 
childhood,  so  we  readily  give  an  assent  to  the  fact. 
But  when  we  start  to  traverse  the  earth  even  in 
thought,  if  not  in  person,  the  fact  of  the  earth  being 
a  sphere  grows  on  us.  And  yet  we  have  seen  only 
a  small  fraction  of  the  earth,  just  a  narrow  belt,  a 
few  miles  wide,  as  we  looked  out  of  the  car  window, 
or,  over  the  side  of  the  ship.  But  the  earth  is  so 
much  greater  than  our  horizon  that  we  are  accus¬ 
tomed  to  say,  we  suppose  we  have  seen  the  earth. 
Just  so  with  Jehovah’s  Righteousness.  We 
know  something  of  Jehovah’s  word,  and  of  his 
Works,  and  of  his  Doings,  to  which  we  readily 
give  our  assent,  and  are  assured  in  so  doing  that  it 
is  just,  and  right,  and  true,  and  good. 

But  when  we  ask  the  other  question,  what  con¬ 
stitutes  the  Righteousness  of  Jehovah-Elohim 
we  hesitate,  or,  are  silent. 


52 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Perhaps  it  is  so  over  powering  in  thought  that  we 
have  no  real  and  just  conception  by  which  to  express 
it.  Or,  we  give  the  mere  technical,  theological, 
forensic  conception,  worked  out  by  other  genera¬ 
tions  of  men,  and  in  other  times,  and  for  our  good. 

Now,  as  we  are  using  the  term  righteousness,  in 
summing  up  and  giving  the  aggregate  of  a  man’s 
life,  meaning  his  character,  his  being,  his  life’s  work, 
so  the  Bible  time  and  again  speaks  of  Jehovah’s 
Righteousness,  meaning  that  which  Jehovah  is, 
that  which  He  has  done,  that  which  He  has  promised 
to  do,  that  which  He  is  doing,  and  that  which  He 
will  do. 

Righteousness  stands  for  Jehovah’s  thought, 
purpose,  motive,  plan,  word,  and  work.  Yes!  And 
even  more.  It  means  Jehovah’s  will  has  taken  on 
an  outward  form  and  stands  before  the  world  as 
something  real,  definite,  strong,  positive,  and  true. 

The  Bible  does  not  hesitate  to  speak  of  and  apply 
the  term,  righteousness  to  any  one  of  these  different 
aspects  of  divine  manifestations. 

The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah  has  a  broader 
conception  than  a  mere  legal,  forensic  sense,  as  used 
in  many  places.  It  means  this,  but  it  means  so  much 
more  than  a  mere  forensic  act,  that  we  never  receive 
the  true,  and  full  conception  of  the  Bible’s  revelation 
until  we  see  more  than  the  legal  idea  contained  in 
the  act  of  justification. 

If  we  focus  our  attention  on  the  forensic  act,  and 
suppose  that  is  all  of  Jehovah’s  Righteousness, 
we  are  moving  in  the  bounds  of  our  own  horizon. 

We  might  as  well  say  we  have  seen  the  earth.  We 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


53 


have  from  one  point  of  view,  but  from  another  we 
have  only  seen  a  part  of  it. 

It  is  the  largest  usage  of  the  term,  as  it  is  revealed 
in  the  scriptures  that  we  are  now  using.  It  is  reveal¬ 
ed  in  the  first  contact  of  Jehovah  with  the  race.  It 
begins  with  the  other  beginnings  found  in  the  Book 
of  Beginnings. 

When  Adam,  the  First  Man,  the  head  of  the  race, 
fell  and  lost  communion  with  Jehovah,  and  sin 
separated  Adam  from  Jehovah,  Jehovah  did  not 
forsake  the  race. 

This  is  an  all  important  fact  to  be  noted.  This  is 
somewhere  near  the  beginning  of  Jehovah’s  deal¬ 
ings  with  the  race.  It  was  Adam  who  turned  from 
Jehovah,  not  Jehovah  from  Adam. 

There  can  not  be  any  question  about  the  fall  as  it 
affected  Adam.  It  was  deep,  dire,  and  deadly.  It 
immediately  called  for  divine  intervention.  And 
divine  intervention  was  forthcoming. 

That  which  we  are  noting  at  present  is  this  di¬ 
vine  manifestation.  The  fact  that  here  Jehovah 
reveals  himself  and  the  conception  of  Righteous¬ 
ness  here  made  known. 

In  thought  Jehovah  anticipated  the  fall  of  Adam, 
by  warning  Adam  of  it,  and  in  pointing  out  the  con¬ 
sequence.  Here  is  goodness,  and  truth,  and  faithful¬ 
ness.  When  Adam  fell,  the  same  graciousness  that 
entered  into  covenant  relationship,  did  not  wane,  but 
continued.  Yes,  began  a  new  movement.  Jehovah’s 
Goodness  anticipated  the  fall,  and  we  see  it  still 
further  in  the  aggressiveness  it  immediately  assumed 
against  sin  and  in  behalf  of  man. 


54 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


It  was  Adam  who  turned  from  Jehovah.  A  fact 
to  be  noted  and  of  which  we  should  never  lose  sight, 
for  it  is  Sin  against  which  righteousness  is  con¬ 
stantly  pitched. 

Adam  in  his  sin.  Jehovah  in  his  righteousness. 
This  is  the  contrast  after  the  fall. 

We  sinful  men  may  not  know  just  what  the  con¬ 
sciousness  of  Adam  was  before  the  fall.  There  seems 
to  be  a  danger  of  us  under  estimating  the  fall  and  its 
consequences.  But  the  contrast  of  sin  and  righte¬ 
ousness  we  may  understand. 

The  immediate  effect  of  sin  is  seen  in  Adam.  We 
cannot  understand  what  a  shock  it  must  have  been 
to  his  nature.  It  must  have  been  a  terrible  blow. 
It  filled  him  immediately  with  fear,  mistrust,  and 
dread. 

He  fled  from  Jehovah.  He  prolonged  the  condi¬ 
tion.  He  would  have  continued  in  this  condition 
away  from  Jehovah. 

Note  now,  it  was  Jehovah  who  came  with  gra¬ 
ciousness,  to  seek,  and  to  call  Adam  from  his  hiding 
place  and  his  sin  as  well. 

Note  also,  Jehovah  continued  to  call  until  Adam 
came. 

Adam  did  not  seek  Jehovah. 

It  is  from  Jehovah  that  Righteousness  issues. 
And  from  this  time  forth  it  is  from  his  source,  from 
Jehovah,  life  will  come. 

Adam  did  not  even  know  to  expect  any  favor  of 
Jehovah. 

As  Jehovah  called,  Adam  tried  to  prepare  him¬ 
self  to  meet  Jehovah.  Adam’s  consciousness  of 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


55 


disobedience  had  already  taken  hold  on  him  and  it 
was  ill-boding. 

There  are  times  when  we  fail  to  recognize  this 
fact.  We  place  the  knowledge  of  sin  at  the  time 
the  curse  was  pronounced.  Thus  we  confound  things 
that  should  be  kept  apart,  for  the  purpose  of  clear 
thinking,  that  is  to  say,  we  confound  the  knowledge 
of  sin  with  the  curse  of  sin. 

Jehovah  did  not  need  to  tell  Adam  he  had 
sinned.  The  effect  of  sin  was  immediate,  before  Je¬ 
hovah  came  to  call. 

Adam  had  gained  this  knowledge  of  sin  which 
caused  him  to  hide. 

The  sin  of  Adam  stands  out  definite  before  he 
came  into  the  presence  of  Jehovah. 

Jehovah’s  thoughts,  his  anticipation,  his  faith¬ 
fulness,  his  truth,  and  graciousness  stand  apart  by 
themselves,  so  as  to  enable  us  to  see  just  that  which 
his  righteousness  is  at  this  particular  time  and  place. 
So  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  race,  with  the 
genesis  of  beginnings,  we  have  a  definite  revelation 
of  that  which  constitutes  Jehovah’s  Righteous¬ 
ness. 

It  was  an  outflow  of  divine  energy  and  life  to 
meet  the  need  of  his  sinful  creature.  It  was  Jehov¬ 
ah’s  energy,  he,  who  had  graciously  entered  into 
covenant,  not  allowing  the  sin  of  man  to  cause  this 
graciousness  to  cease,  but  the  immediate  need  of  the 
race  was  met  by  the  immediate  outflow  of  more 
grace,  revealing  the  resource  of  that  grace,  or,  the 
unmerited  favor  of  Jehovah. 

Here  at  the  very  beginning  of  the  Scriptures  we 


56 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


have  a  definite  knowledge  of  Jehovah’s  Righte¬ 
ousness  which  is  peculiar  to  the  Book,  and  that 
righteousness  made  to  work  for  the  good  of  man. 

The  fact  of  Jehovah’s  immediate  act  for  the  race 
is  all  important  to  grasp  at  least  from  four  different 
angles. 

First.  From  the  point  of  time.  He  immediately 
met  Adam. 

Second.  From  the  need  of  the  race.  Sin  had 
blighted  man’s  nature. 

Third.  From  the  point  of  sin  itself.  What  is  sin? 

Fourth.  From  the  source  of  righteousness. 

We  are  not  saying  that  all  is  as  clear  as  will  be 
revealed  in  future  manifestations  of  Jehovah. 
Rather  this  is  the  thought,  here  at  the  very  begin¬ 
ning  of  the  race,  and  of  sin  in  the  race,  we  have  the 
needs  of  the  race  met  by  Jehovah,  and  in  strict  ac¬ 
cord  with  the  nature  he  had  implanted  in  man.  And 
when  sin  had  blighted  that  nature  Jehovah  him¬ 
self  applies  the  only  remedy  for  sin,  namely  that  of 
righteousness. 

It  was  not  an  after  thought  on  Jehovah’s  part 
but  from  the  point  of  time,  he  anticipated  sin  by 
warning  Adam,  and  then  when  Adam  came  short, 
he  immediately  met  sin  with  his  own  righteousness. 

It  would  seem  that  these  are  some  of  the  facts 
respecting  Jehovah’s  Righteousness,  here  made 
known. 

That  Jehovah  anticipated  sin  in  the  race.  That 
He  was  ready  to  meet  sin.  That  He  immediately 
started  to  fill  in  the  breach  caused  by  sin.  That  He 
did  it  in  accordance,  in  harmony,  with  man’s  nature. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


57 


And  He  met  sin  with  the  opposite  principle,  namely, 
that  of  righteousness. 

This  righteousness  of  Jehovah,  or,  this  divine 
energy  put  forth  at  this  time  and  place,  seems  to  be 
the  fundamental  principle  running  all  through  the 
Scriptures  and  has  followed  all  nations. 

The  Law  had  not  yet  been  given.  The  Gospel 
had  not  yet  been  made  known.  But  the  manifesta¬ 
tions  of  Jehovah’s  thoughts,  words,  and  deeds  are 
in  strict  harmony  with  the  principles  of  righteousness 
as  righteousness  has  been  revealed  and  developed 
through  the  following  generations  of  men  and  na¬ 
tions. 

That  which  we  gather  here  of  Jehovah’s 
thoughts,  words,  and  deeds  are  in  line  with  this  con¬ 
ception  of  righteousness  we  are  considering. 

We  may  look  at  this  divine  energy  put  forth  here 
either  from  the  negative,  or,  the  positive  sides  and 
the  results  are  equally  confirmatory. 

Negatively,  there  is  no  compromise  with  sin  in 
shape,  form,  manner,  or  degree. 

Positive,  Jehovah’s  immediate  coming,  his  seek¬ 
ing,  his  calling,  his  waiting  until  Adam  came;  the 
intimation,  of  the  seed  of  the  woman,  gaining  victory 
over  sin,  together  with  the  gracious  clothing  of  both 
of  them,  with  a  garment  of  his  own  making,  reveals 
Jehovah’s  righteousness  as  something  positive, 
strong,  true,  and  sure  at  this  time. 

It  is  the  same  Being  who  created,  and  then  en¬ 
tered  into  covenant  relations,  who  now  undertakes 
to  deal  with  alienated  and  sin  cursed  man,  and  He 
does  it  for  Man’s  good,  and  Jehovah’s  glory. 


58 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


The  Scripture  passage  is  short,  clear  and  concise. 
There  is  no  hesitation  on  Jehovah’s  part  even 
suggested.  There  is  no  weakness  revealed.  There 
is  no  intimation  of  anything  strange  to  Jehovah 
been  made  known.  The  whole  narrative  speaks,  with 
a  clearness  and  definiteness  that  reveals  the  righte¬ 
ousness  of  Jehovah  in  what  he  thought,  and  said 
and  did  regarding  sin  and  sin’s  effect  on  Man. 

And  further,  this  divine  energy,  here  put  forth, 
embodies  the  fundamental  principle  not  only  run¬ 
ning  through  the  Bible,  but  through  the  whole  hu¬ 
man  history  of  the  Nations. 

This  is  not  strange,  when  we  stop  to  consider  it, 
for  it  is  a  universal  conception,  rooted  and  grounded 
in  human  nature,  though  violated  at  the  beginning, 
yet  further  made  known  by  Jehovah  for  the  Life 
of  the  Nations. 


V 


DIVISION  IV 

THAT  IN  GOD’S  RIGHTEOUSNESS  ALL  NATIONS 
“share  AND  SHARE  alike”  IN  THE  GIFTS 
AND  BLESSINGS 

'T'  HE  divine  energy  that  met  sin  as  it  entered  the 
A  race,  and  came  to  man  in  his  great  need,  es¬ 
tablishes  the  principle  of  God’s  Righteousness, 
and  the  manner,  or,  graciousness  of  its  flow. 

It  also  makes  known,  on  which  side  of  the  equa¬ 
tion,  the  hope  of  the  nations  rests,  the  human  or  the 
divine  side,  that  is  to  say,  that  which  God  did  or 
which  Adam  tried  to  do  and  failed. 

This  divine  energy,  or,  activity,  this  righteousness 
of  God  is  seen  to  assume  a  more  definite  form  and 
proportion  in  what  is  known  as  the  “Call  of  Abra¬ 
ham”  and  the  life  he  was  called  on  to  live. 

Here  in  this  Call  the  Righteousness  of  Jehov¬ 
ah  takes  on  a  unique  form,  being  distinctively 
individualistic,  gracious,  benevolent  and  far  reach¬ 
ing. 

In  one  sense  of  the  word,  this  Call  of  Abraham  is 
another  one  of  the  “Beginnings”  found  in  this  Book 
of  “Beginnings.” 

The  call  is  of  such  a  nature  as  to  mark  the  be¬ 
ginning  of  what  will  be  a  peculiar  people. 

From  the  beginning  of  the  Call  there  is  made 
known  a  three-fold  purpose  which  carries  with  it 
a  progressive  movement.  This  purpose  is  made 
known  in  that  which  we  may  call,  First,  A  land  pos- 

59 


6o 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


session,  Second,  An  heir  and  posterity,  Third,  The 
blessings  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

Further  than  this,  It  would  seem  it  was  the  di¬ 
vine  purpose  to  anticipate  all  human  thought,  plan 
and  purpose  in  a  peculiar  way  and  manner,  so  as  to 
impress  upon  Abraham,  and  through  him  his  pos¬ 
terity,  and  through  them  all  nations  of  the  earth, 
that  which  Jehovah  here  promises  to  do. 

It  would  appear  that  here  in  Gen.  12:1-3,  is 
where  the  emphasis  is  placed,  and  placed  here  by  Je¬ 
hovah  himself.  And  for  an  apparent  reason.  It 
is  something  Jeeiovah  is  going  to  do  for  Abraham 
and  for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

It  is  here  put  in  the  form  of  a  Promise,  or,  the 
Word  of  Jehovah.  It  is  this  Word  of  Jehovah 
projected  into  the  affairs  of  Abraham  which  shapes 
and  molds  and  gives  bent  and  direction  to  his  life 

The  word,  the  promise  is  intensely  vital. 
And  this  Vitality,  it  would  seem  to  be,  is  the  Im¬ 
pression  Jehovah  is  endeavoring  to  inculcate. 

It  is  this  Word,  or  Promise,  of  Jehovah  that  is 
to  assume  form  and  take  on  proportion  for,  with, 
and  through  Abraham.  It  is  not  Abraham’s  con¬ 
ception  of  the  promise  we  are  trying  to  grasp,  but 
if  possible,  the  conception  Jehovah  means  to  make 
by  this  approach  to  him  and  all  nations,  and  by 
awakening  this  hope  and  creating  this  desire. 

If  we  fall  short  here  to  receive  the  conception  that 
Jehovah  conveyed  to  Abraham  in  this  four  fold  “I 
Will”  of  Gen.  12:1-3.  The  promise,  the  word 
of  Jehovah,  we  fail  to  receive  that  power  and  in¬ 
spiration  that  made  Abraham,  and  made  him  “The 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


61 


Father  of  all  nations  of  the  earth.”  Gal.  3:7-8; 
Rom.  4:11-12-16. 

It  is  not  in  Abraham  we  are  to  look  for  this  power 
that  awakens  and  inspires,  but  that  which  Jehovah 
now  brings  to  him  in  the  call,  “Get  thee  out — and 
I  WILL  MAKE  OF  THEE.” 

True  there  is  nothing  definite  said  as  to  the  time, 
place  or  manner  in  which  all  of  this  is  to  come 
about.  All  this,  it  would  seem,  is  part  of  the  force 
of  the  Call.  It  is  something  that  comes  to  him. 
Abraham  has  not  even  thought  of  it.  Here  there 
is  given  to  Abraham  a  new  thought,  there  is  a  divine 
conception  conveyed,  and  there  is  an  influence  used 
that  persuades  him  to  obey  the  call. 

Here  in  the  initiative ,  there  is  conveyed  from  the 
divine  personality  to  the  human  that  influence  and 
that  power  that  is  making  a  man  of  faith,  as  we  are 
told  centuries  later,  in  order,  that  Abraham  might 
be  the  “father  of  all  that  believed.”  Rom.  4. 

It  is  something  Jehovah  has  Promised  to  do,  and 
he  will  make  that  which  he  now  promises  to  stand 
forth  in  land  possessions,  in  a  posterity,  in  a  nation, 
and  in  blessings  to  all  the  nations  of  the  earth.  It 
is  in  some  such  sense  that  we  are  to  understand  the 
call. 

We  tarry  here,  for  here,  at  the  beginning  is  the 
key  to  this  problem  of  the  Righteousness  of 
Jehovah,  and  the  hope  of  Peace,  and  a  Hope  for 
all  Nations. 

It  is  something  Heaven  is  going  to  do  for  Earth. 
It  is  something  Jehovah  is  going  to  do  for  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  It  is  to  be  worked  out  in  this 


62 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


concrete  case  in  such  a  manner  as  to  permit  us  to 
see  something  of  Jehovah’s  thoughts,  plans,  pur¬ 
pose,  word,  and  work;  and  see  it  in  such  a  way  as 
will  enable  us  to  discriminate  as  to  that  which  is 
human  and  that  which  is  divine. 

When  we  take  this  key  of  interpretation,  and 
when  we  apply  this  principle  of  righteousness,  with 
the  benevolent  purpose,  and  the  graciousness  of  the 
flow  of  divine  energy;  then  it  is  that  we  have  that 
which  lays  hold  on  us,  a  power  and  influence,  of  the 
same  nature  and  kind  that  came  to  Abraham. 

If  we  catch  this  conception  then  we  are  in  a 
position  to  make  a  study  of  this  righteousness  of 
Jehovah  as  it  is  unfolded  in  the  life  of  Abraham,  his 
posterity,  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

In  this  Promise,  Gen.  12:1-3,  while,  there  is  this 
indefiniteness  as  to  the  time,  the  place  and  the  man¬ 
ner,  that  all  of  this  is  come  about;  we  have  that 
which  is  definite  as  well  as  concrete. 

We  have  that  which  arrested  the  attention  of 
Abraham,  that  which  gave  him  a  new  conception  of 
life,  and  impressed  him  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
enable  him  to  operate  on  that  which  it  conveyed. 

We  have  here  Gen.  12:1-3?  the  Promise  of 
Jehovah,  or,  The  word  of  Jehovah  in  the  con¬ 
crete.  We  have  that  which  Jehovah,  himself,  will 
take  up  and  in  the  immediate  and  remote  future 
cause  to  assume  form  and  take  on  proportions  in 
manners  and  ways  that  will  be  seen  to  be  Jehovah’s 
own. 

We  may  at  every  turn  apply  this  severest  test  of 
righteousness,  that  of  thought,  plan,  purpose,  word 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


63 


and  work  so  we  may  know  if  it  is  “Jehovah’s 
way/’  Gen.  18:19,  and  not  man’s. 

Jehovah  starts  with  the  fulfillment  of  the  prom¬ 
ise  with  the  land  possession,  a  place  here  on  earth 
where  all  of  this  is  to  take  place. 

It  was  a  severe  test  to  the  Chaldean  herdsman. 
It  immediately  went  into  effect  as  he  started  to 
move  his  herds.  All  that  Abraham  has  is  Jehovah’s 
Word  for  it.  But  this  seems  to  be  all  at  present 
that  was  needed  to  set  this  man  and  his  substance  in 
motion. 

One  of  the  first  things  to  note  is  the  indefiniteness 
of  the  place  where  Abraham  is  to  go.  We  presume 
the  reason  of  this  is  that  Abraham’s  faith  might  rest 
on  Jehovah’s  word  and  not  on  the  land.  The  call 
says,  “Unto  a  land,”  Gen.  12:1.  “Will  it  be  suf¬ 
ficient  to  sustain  his  herd  ?”  Such  a  doubt  is  not  per¬ 
mitted  to  enter  his  thought.  Abraham’s  faith  is  fixed 
on  the  “I  will”  of  Jehovah  and  not  the  land. 
And  he  travels  with  his  herds  for  months  on  this 
promise  alone. 

The  next  mention  of  the  land  is  Gen.  12:6. 
“Abram  passed  through  the  land.”  Here  it  is  spok¬ 
en  of  as  “The  Land,”  that  is,  the  land  Jehovah 
promised.  But  a  more  vital  test  now  comes  to 
Abram’s  faith,  for  the  land  is  already  possessed  by 
the  Canaanites. 

As  Abraham  became  cognizant  of  this  fact  Jehov¬ 
ah  appeared  to  him,  and  now  that  which  was  so 
indefinite  at  the  first  and  expressed  as  “A  land” 
and  “The  land”  becomes  “I  give  this  land.” 

Note  this,  the  land  is  now  definitely  located  for 


64 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


the  first  time  but  already  occupied  by  the  Canaan- 
ites,  Gen.  12:6. 

Abram’s  faith  does  not  waver.  Here  and  now 
he  expresses  his  faith  in  one  of  the  highest  forms 
that  it  is  possible  for  men  to  do.  Here  he  built  an 
altar  to  Jehovah  who  appeared  unto  him.  Gen. 
12:7. 

Abram,  when  he  separated  from  his  father’s  house 
was  followed  by  his  nephew,  Lot.  In  the  course 
of  a  few  years  Jehovah  had  so  blessed  their  herds, 
that  strife  arose  between  the  herdsmen.  Abram 
gave  Lot  the  choice  of  pastures  and  Lot  for  a  herds¬ 
man’s  reason  took  the  best.  Heaven  was  cognizant 
of  this  deal  and  appeared  to  this  man  of  faith  with 
these  words  “Lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and  look  from 

the  place  where  thou  art, - to  thee  will  I  give 

it,  and  to  thy  seed  for  ever.”  Gen.  13:14-15. 

Here  for  the  first  time  since  the  call  Jehovah 
makes  mention  of  the  heir.  But  Abram  has  no  seed. 
Yet  Jehovah  makes  mention  of  an  heir  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  awaken  a  new  desire  in  Abram’s  life, 
since  his  herds,  his  possessions  have  increased,  and 
we  find  Abram  will  ponder  for  years  to  come  this 
promised  heir. 

*  Time  now  becomes  a  strong  factor  as  well  as  place 
does  in  the  development  of  Jehovah’s  plans  and 
purpose  for  Abram,  his  heir  and  all  the  nations  of 
the  earth. 

It  would  appear  that  Jehovah  is  in  no  hurry  in 
executing  his  plan.  He  promised  an  heir  when  he 
first  called  Abram.  It  would  appear  it  is  not  so 
much  an  heir  that  is  Jehovah’s  intent,  as  it  is,  an 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


65 


heir  of  Faith.  Time  enters  in  as  a  strong  factor  in 
Jehovah’s  Righteousness.  Much  more  so  than 
we  men  are  cognizant. 

The  land  Abram  now  is  possessing,  together  with 
the  increased  herds,  and  now  comes  again  the  re¬ 
newed  promise  of  an  heir.  All  of  these  trials  causes 
Abram  to  awaken  to  the  fact  that  Eliezer  of  Dema- 
cus  is  steward  of  his  house  and  his  heir.  In  this  state 
of  contemplation  of  an  heir  Abram  is  left  a  series  of 
years  without  any  visitation  of  Jehovah-El. 

The  next  appearance  of  Jehovah  is  after  Abram 
has  ventured,  on  his  own  initiative  in  behalf  of  his 
nephew,  Lot,  and  the  retaking  of  Lot  and  all  of  the 
plunder  carried  away  by  the  kings.  This  episode 
opens  the  door  of  Abram’s  life  and  permits  us  to 
see  into  the  inner  chambers  of  this  man  of  faith  and 
see  just  that  which  has  developed  during  these  years. 

It  was  a  clever  piece  of  work  he  did  in  retaking 
Lot  and  all  of  the  plunder,  and  yet,  the  greatness  of 
the  man  is  seen  on  his  return  and  the  operation  of 
his  faith. 

Abram  is  met  by  Melchizedek,  “priest  of  the  most 
high  God,”  and  Abram,  the  conqueror,  recognized 
at  once  the  superiority  of  this  servant  of  the  “Most 
High”  by  assuming  the  humbler  position  and  gave 
him  tithes  of  all. 

Here  is  something  strong  and  positive  in  this 
man  of  faith.  A  conqueror  fresh  from  the  field  of 
victory  surrendering  himself  and  dividing  his  sub¬ 
stance,  and  for  the  highest  of  purposes. 

We  may  not  over  estimate  the  meaning  of  these 
actions.'  Our  tendency  is  to  fail  to  grasp  their 


66 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


significance.  We  have  here  the  fruitage ,  of  the 
“Righteousness  that  comes  by  faith.”  . 

It  was  a  test  of  lilt  that  makes  these  acts  signifi¬ 
cant,  and  the  process  brought  forth  fruitage.  In  a 
religious  devotion  he  avowed  his  allegiance  to  Je- 
hovah-El.  It  was  a  public  expression  of  his  al¬ 
legiance  and  at  this  time  and  place  doubly  significant. 

The  next  meeting  was  with  the  king  of  Sodom, 
who  was  ready  to  enrich  Abram  with  the  spoils 
Abram  had  retaken.  Abram  very  emphatically  re¬ 
fused  to  accept  them  and  for  the  reason  he  gave,  “I 
have  lifted  up  mine  hand  unto  Jehovah — that  I  will 
not  take  from  a  thread  even  to  a  shoelatchet-  lest 
thou  shouldst  say,  I  have  made  Abram  rich.”  By 
his  refusing  the  spoils  of  the  king,  and  declaring  his 
allegiance  to  Jehovah,  we  have,  in  the  negative  form, 
another  product  of  faith.  Abram  showed  in  manner 
of  conduct  a  fine  sense  as  to  that  which  would  and 
that  which  would  not  honor  Jehovah.  And  in  this 
discrimination  we  are  able  to  understand  just  what 
this  life  of  faith  and  confidence  in  Jehovah  means  to 


Abram.  ,  .  r. 

New  experiences  have  been  crowded  into  nis  Iite 

in  a  few  days.  He  is  master  of  conditions.  Like 
all  good  and  true  men  since  his  day,  doubtless  he  felt 
something  of  their  weight,  and  longed  for  the  ap¬ 


probation  of  Jehovah. 

This  was  forthcoming,  laying  any  apprehension 
that  may  have  come  to  Abram,  in  these  words  Fear 
not,  Abram,  I  am  thy  shield  and  thy  exceeding  great 


reward.”  Gen.  15 :I*  .  .  . 

Surrounded  by  these  new  conditions  and  stimu- 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


67 


lated  by  these  words  of  Jehovah,  there  appears  a 
boldness,  not  without  a  modesty,  in  this  man  of  faith, 
that  enables  him,  for  the  first  time,  to  speak  to 
Jehovah. 

Abram,  now,  justifies  his  venture  and  his  words 
in  speaking  to  Jehovah-El  for  the  first  time  on  the 
“Promise  of  Jehovah”  to  him  of  an  heir.  It  has 
been  three  or  four  years  since  Jehovah  impressed 
Abram  with*the  thought  of  an  heir.  Gen.  13:15. 

Since  this  time  Abram  has  studied  his  conditions, 
Jehovah  has  richly  blessed  him  with  herds  and  land, 
but  Eliezer  is  heir.  And  further,  for  the  first  time 
we  find  Abram,  in  this  request  rising  and  using  the 
name  of  Jehovah-El  in  addressing  Him. 

These  recent  experiences,  of  retaking  the  kings, 
the  meeting  of  the  priest  of  the  Most  High,  of  lift¬ 
ing  his  hand  in  allegiance  to  Jehovah-El,  of  re¬ 
fusing  the  gifts  of  the  king  of  Sodom,  and  now  the 
“Word  of  Jehovah”  came  to  him,  saying,  “Fear 
not,  Abram,  I  Am  thy  shield,  and  thy  exceed¬ 
ing  great  reward,”  such  words  of  Jehovah,  and 
such  exciting  experiences  have  made  a  profound  im¬ 
pression  on  this  man  of  faith.  So  when  Jehovah  ap¬ 
pears  again  and  approves  of  Abram’s  conduct,  and 
assures  him  of  his  protection  and  of  being  “his  great 
reward”  Abram’s  tongue  is  loosened  and  his  lips  un¬ 
sealed  and  he  addressed  Jehovah-El  in  terms  only 
a  man  of  faith  understood  how  to  do. 

Under  these  extraordinary  conditions,  there  tran¬ 
spires  between  Jehovah-El  and  this  man  of  faith, 
not  only  a  conversation,  that  enables  us  to  see  further 
into  this  man  of  faith,  but  we  see  Jehovah-El  en- 


68 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


tering  into  a  covenant  with  him,  in  a  manner  and 
a  way  he  could  not  do  at  the  beginning  of  the  call. 

Abram,  in  the  past  six  or  eight  years  has  been 
growing,  and  growing  from  the  point  of  life  Jehovah 
has  been  influencing  and  developing  by  giving  the 
promise,  in  leading  the  way,  by  increasing  the  her  s, 
and  giving  the  land  promised,  now  the  mention  of 
the  heir  has  taken  on  form  in  Abram,  in  shape  of  a 
strong  desire. 

The  desire  is  so  strong,  that  it  assumes  the  torm 
of  an  argument,  based  on  the  Promise  of  Je¬ 
hovah-El,”  when  Abram  undertakes  to  speak  of 

the  heir  to  Jehovah.  ...... 

All  of  this  reveals  a  high  stage  of  faith^  already 
developed  in  Abram,  and  a  faith  Jehovah-El  recog¬ 
nizes,  and  with  which  He  is  ready  to  entei  into 
covenant  relation.  These  two,  Jehovah-El,  party 
of  the  first  part;  and  Abram,  the  “Man  of  Faith, 
the  party  of  the  second  part,  enter  into  covenant  re¬ 
lations. 

With  this  covenant  there  comes  into  human  ex¬ 
perience,  for  “Abram,  his  heir,  and  for  all  na¬ 
tions  OF  THE  EARTH”  SOMETHING  NEW. 

It  comes  from  heaven  to  earth.  It  comes  from 
Jehovah-El  to  Man.  What  shall  we  call  it?  How 
shall  we  explain  it?  What  is  its  meaning  to  Abram 

and  to  all  nations  of  the  Earth  ? 

It  will  take  centuries  to  answer  these  questions. 
This  is  our  lesson.  It  is  from  Jehovah-El  to  all 
nations  of  the  Earth.  It  is  the  Righteousness  of 
Jehovah-El  working  its  way  into  this  man  of 
faith.  “The  friend  of  God.”  Jam.  2:23. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


69 


The  sacred  writer  calls  it  a  covenant — a  contract 
— an  agreement — a  stipulation.  Something  never 
to  be  broken  by  Jehovah-El;  always  to  be  studied 
and  inquired  into,  longed  for  and  hoped  in ;  received 
and  builded  on,  and  lived  by  all  nations  of  the 
Earth. 

Abram  believed  Jehovah;  and  Jehovah  count¬ 
ed  this  Faith  to  him  for  “Righteousness.” 

It  is  not  an  “interpolation”  then,  but  a  living 
faith,  a  true  and  actual  life  lived,  at  least  Abram 
had  passed  through  all  of  the  experiences  and  now 
brings  to  Jehovah-El,  a  strong  desire ,  a  passionate 
plea  and  a  living  confidence ;  in  fact ,  that  peculiar 
life  and  conduct  that  Jehovah-El  recognizes  and  is 
willing  to  accept,  acknowledge,  avow,  confess,  own 
and  allow  as  the  condition  of  life  to  which  He  will 
augment  Heaven's  blessing. 

Jehovah-El  now  begins  to  make  his  Word  good, 
and  his  Word  stands  out  from  the  point  of  the  heir. 
The  Word,  the  Promise  takes  on  definite  form, 
“Eliezer  shall  not  be  thine  heir,  but  he  that  shall 
come  forth  out  of  thine  own  bowels  shall  be  thine 
heir.”  Yet  it  is  not  so  definite  as  to  be  all  Abram 
needed. 

It  would  seem  the  thing  to  note  here  is  the  Prom¬ 
ise,  the  Word  of  Jehovah-El  is  to  enter  the  hu¬ 
man  family,  that  is  to  say,  the  Word  the  Promise 
is  to  take  on  human  form.  We  have  seen  Jehovah- 
El’s  word  assume  form,  in  the  shape  of  herds  and 
land  possessions,  but  here  and  now  it  is  to  enter  the 
human  race,  flesh  and  blood,  and  become  an  heir,  a 
man. 


70 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Jehovah-El  promised  this  to  Abram  when  he 
was  seventy-five  years  old,  some  six  or  eight  years 
have  already  passed,  yet  there  seems  to  be  no  hurry 
on  Jehovah-El’s  part,  in  order  that  all  men  might 
know  it  is  Jehovah-El  who  is  doing  what  is  to  be 
done. 

This  man  of  faith  has  now  Jehovah-El’s  Word. 
Can  it  be  done?  If  so  how?  Let  us  see. 

Abram  was  mightily  impressed  by  Jehovah-El’s 
covenant  and  the  experience  he  now  passes  through. 
The  impress  is  made  on  this  man  of  faith  by  Jehovah. 

Abram  believed  though  he  did  not  know  how  it 
was  to  come  about.  The  heir  is  as  indefinite  as  was 
the  land  promise  when  first  given.  Abram  is  per¬ 
suaded  of  the  integrity  of  Jehovah-El’s  Word. 

Jehovah-El,  had  He  not  come  and  covenated 
with  him?  But  Abram  had  not  inquired  how  all  this 
was  to  come  about,  or,  when  it  was  to  take  place. 

Jehovah-El  goes  further  with  this  knowledge.  He 
gives  Abram  to  understand,  that  he  shall  not  only 
have  a  son  born  to  himself,  but,  “Know  of  a  surety 
that  thy  seed  shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  that  is  not 
theirs — and  they  shall  afflict  them  four  hundred 
years — afterward  shall  they  come  out  with  great 
substance.”  Gen.  15:13-14. 

While  the  Promise  is  rooted  and  grounded  in 
Abram’s  present  and  natural  surroundings,  the 
Promise  had  largely  to  do  with  unborn  men  and  na¬ 
tions.  There  seems  to  be  no  immediate  haste,  on 
the  part  of  Jehovah-El  as  to  the  individual  heir 
or  nation.  It  is  the  unborn  Isaac,  in  whom,  the 
seed  shall  be  called,  in  order  that  it  might  be  of 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


7i 


faith,  and  the  righteousness  that  comes  by  faith, 
but  Abram  is  not  aware  of  this  at  this  time.  Nor 
is  Jehovah  in  any  haste  to  explain  his  plans  to  this 
man  of  Faith. 

Isaac  is  promised  twenty-five  years  before  given. 
Israel,  the  people  four  hundred  years  before  given. 
Israel  the  organized  nation,  with  a  king  and  govern¬ 
ment  many  centuries  away.  “All  nations  of  the 
earth”  centuries  and  millenniums  away. 

The  fact  to  note  here  is  Jehovah-El  makes  his 
plan  and  purpose  known  at  this  time  and  intimates 
it  will  take  centuries  to  work  it  out.  He  gives  his 
Word  to  work  them  out  in  the  unborn  Isaac,  Israel, 
and  all  nations  of  the  earth. 

Here  at  the  beginning  of  the  Promise,  this  righte¬ 
ousness  of  Jehovah-El  projects  itself  into  human 
nature,  at  the  point  of  the  psychical,  by  awakening 
a  new  hope,  quickening  an  aspiration,  creating  a  de¬ 
sire,  helping  to  formulate  it  into  an  inquire,  and 
shaping  it  into  a  request. 

“To  me  thou  hast  given  no  seed,  and,  lo,  one 
born  in  my  house  is  mine  heir.”  Jehovah-El 
answered,  “This  shall  not  be  thine  heir.”  Gen. 
15:3-4. 

Jehovah-El  in  giving  the  Promise  and  in 
Working  out  his  plans  brings  the  divine,  the  super¬ 
natural,  to  bear  on  the  human,  the  natural,  and  does 
it  in  a  manner  and  a  way  so  as  to  make  the  righte¬ 
ousness  of  Jehovah-El  to  stand  for  men.  He  does 
not  ask  for  or  discuss  the  propriety  of  parenthood 
or  birthright.  He  plans,  purposes,  and  works  in, 
with,  and  through  human  nature,  and  brings  out  a 


72 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


man  true  to  nature,  a  man  of  faith  and  a  man  of 
vision. 

Abram  and  Sarah,  his  wife,  talked  over  all  they 
have  just  passed  through  in  connection  with  the 
promised  heir.  No  one  understood  the  natural  con¬ 
ditions  of  Sarah  and  her  old  age  better  than  Abram 
the  herdsman.  It  was  Sarah,  who  now  comes  forth 
with  a  plan  to  help  out  Jehovah-El,  and  gives  her 
handmaid,  Hagar,  to  be  his  wife  and  Ishmael  is 
born  of  the  bond  woman. 

All  of  this  was  well  meant.  It  was  to  help  out 
Jehovah-El,  as  has  been  done  thousands  of  times 
since  Abram,  Sarah,  and  Hagar  tried  their  plans. 
It  was  born  of  misdirected  faith.  These  are  the 
tendrils  of  the  branch,  reaching  forth  to  find  a 
place  to  cling,  indications  of  life,  but  misdirected.  It 
was  a  reaching  out  and  laying  hold  of  that  which 
will  not  prove  substantial  enough,  though  fulfill  the 
real  purpose  of  the  divine  will. 

It  is  misdirected  faith.  Ishmael  will  have  a  part 
and  in  the  full  plan  and  purpose  of  Jehovah-El 
will  help  us  children  of  nature  to  understand  the 
real  and  vital  meaning  of  his  promise. 

Ishmael’s  part  will  be  a  discriminating  part,  help¬ 
ing  to  clarify  the  divine  plan  and  purpose.  So  we 
will  be  able  to  see  that  which  is  of  the  human, 
Abram,  Sarah,  Hagar  and  Ishmael,  the  natural  man, 
and  that  which  is  of  Jehovah-El. 

Like  many  of  Jehovah-El’s  children  since  their 
day,  gradually,  one  at  a  time,  they  came  to  know  it 
was  not  Jehovah’s  way  of  the  heirship.  Sarah  the 
one  who  proposed  the  plan  was  the  first  to  make  the 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


73 


discovery,  then  Hagar  next  and  Abram  had  to  have 
Jehovah  to  correct  the  conception  for  him  before 
he  would  give  up  hope  that  Ishmael  was  to  be  the 
heir. 

The  tenacity  with  which  Abram  held  to  Ishmael 
as  the  heir,  helps  us  to  see  and  understand  the 
significance  of  the  knowledge  that  is  now  imparted 
to  Abram  and  Sarah,  by  Jehovah-El,  namely,  the 
purpose  of  Jehovah-El  to  cause  Sarah  in  her  old 
age  to  give  birth  to  the  heir  of  Promise. 

It  is  Jehovah-El’s  word  that  is  to  take  on  hu¬ 
man  form.  A  miracle?  Yes  a  miracle!  It  is 
Jehovah-El  beginning  to  work  his  purpose  into 
human  life.  First  from  a  physical  point.  We  saw 
how  he  worked  his  thought,  plan  and  purpose  into 
Abram  from  a  psychical  point,  in  that  He  created 
the  desire  for  the  heir.  Can  He  now  do  what  he 
promised  at  the  physical?  He  has  so  promised. 

In  their  old  age  according  to  the  time  appointed, 
and  the  Word  of  Jehovah-El,  Isaac  is  born.  This 
child  of  Promise'  is  so  designated  to  distinguish  him 
from  the  child  of  nature,  Ishmael. 

This  is  not  a  man  made  distinction,  but  one  of 
Jehovah-El,  promised  in  the  Call,  twenty-five 
years  before,  not  then  understood  by  Abram,  but 
now  enjoined  by  Jehovah-El,  in  these  words,  “Cast 
out  this  bond  woman  and  her  son:  for  the  son  of 
this  bond  woman  shall  not  be  heir  with  my  son, 
even  with  Isaac.”  Gen.  21  no-14. 

It  would  seem  it  was  Jehovah’s  plan  and  pur¬ 
pose,  from  the  very  first,  for  Sarah  was  old  and 
childless,  to  make  his  Word  to  take  on  human  form 


74 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


and  become  something  definite  and  distinct  in  the 
human  family. 

That  men  should  question  Jehovah-El  s  power 
at  the  lowest  point  of  human  nature,  the  physical 
and  gladly  recognize  and  receive  his  power  and  in¬ 
fluence  at  the  highest  point  is  one  of  the  anomalies 
in  human  experience.  But  here  at  the  very  begin¬ 
ning  of  his  great  work  for  the  nations  of  the  earth, 
Jehovah-El  enters  into  the  human  family  through 
the  individual,  Abram,  then  into  the  family  and  will 
later  enter  into  the  nations. 

We  are  at  present  at  the  point  of  the  family.  Par¬ 
enthood  and  sonship  Jehovah-El  does  not  hesitate 
to  call  into  service  for  the  good  of  the  nations. 

Why  should  He?  The  thing  to  note  is  the  Word 
of  Jehovah-El  takes  on  form,  flesh  and  blood,  in 
the  child  Isaac.  And  the  Promise  will  follow  the 
line  of  Isaac,  the  child  of  promise,  rather  than  Ish- 
mael,  not  that  Ishmael  is  cursed;  but  rather  that 
all  the  families  of  the  earth  may  receive  the  blessing. 

The  nations  must  need  see  and  know  the  Righte¬ 
ousness  of  Jehovah-El.  Because  of  this  great 
need  of  the  Nations,  Jehovah-El  takes  every  pre¬ 
caution  here  at  the  very  beginning  to  make  “His 
way”  clear.  Gen.  18:19. 

Again,  the  family  difference,  the  quarrel,  between 
Sarah  and  Hagar  on  account  of  Ishmael’s  conduct, 
helps  to  clarify  the  divine  purpose.  Abram  was  en¬ 
joined  to  do  as  Sarah  has  said,  namely,  “Cast  out 
the  bondwoman’s  child.” 

This  discrimination  is  not  for  the  purpose  of  chas¬ 
tening  or  inflicting  punishment.  It  is  not  a  matter 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


75 


alone  between  Sarah  and  Hagar,  or  these  two  sons 
of  Abram. 

The  significance  is  in  Jehovah-El’s  promise  of 
the  heir,  not  alone  made  to  Abraham,  but  now  to 
Sarah  as  well.  It  would  seem  that  Sarah  better 
grasped  this  meaning  of  the  heir,  at  this  time,  than 
did  Abraham.  And  the  Promise  has  advanced  to 
the  definite  place  in  the  family,  that  is  to  say,  Sarah 
is  to  be  the  mother  of  the  heir.  “The  Way  of  Je- 
hovah-El”  (Gen.  18:19)  the  Word  made  to  stand 
forth  in  flesh  and  blood,  in  Isaac,  is  to  follow  the 
lineage  of  this  child  of  promise,  and  is  further  de¬ 
veloped  in  the  promise  found  in  Gen.  21  : 1 2.  “For 
in  Isaac  shall  thy  seed  be  called,  and  in  thy  seed 
shall  all  nations  of  the  earth  be  blessed.” 

No  sooner  is  the  heir  promise,  definite  to  both, 
and  Abraham’s  hope  centered  in  the  heir,  than  we 
see  Jehovah-El  from  the  viewpoint  of  the  third 
proposition  “and  in  thee  shall  all  families  of  the 
earth  be  blessed,”  found  in  the  original  Promise 
Gen.  12:1-3  putting  Abraham’s  faith  to  the  test. 
The  man  of  faith  rises  to  the  occasion. 

The  test  came  in  the  way  of  knowledge,  of  that 
which  Jehovah-El  is  about  to  do  with  the  cities 
of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah.  The  wickedness  is  so  pre¬ 
sented  as  to  reveal  the  true  need  of  the  race.  Abra¬ 
ham  is  moved  with  compassion,  and  we  have  his  in¬ 
tercessory  prayers  in  their  behalf. 

These  further  make  known  to  us  this  man  of  faith, 
and  his  relationship,  by  covenant,  with  Jehovah-El 
and  his  power  of  prayer.  On  the  other  hand  we  see 
the  great  wickedness,  the  sin  and  need  of  the  world. 


76 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


This  is  a  wonderful  revelation  worked  out  in  the 
concrete,  at  this  particular  time  by  Jehovah-El, 
making  known  the  conditions  and  the  need  of  the 
race;  and  at  the  same  time  giving  us  man’s  part  in 
the  whole  plan  of  grace. 

We  are  not  to  think  Abraham  grasped  and  under¬ 
stood  this  third  proposition,  in  the  promise,  any  more 
clearly  than  the  other  two  he  has  passed  through, 
for  he  did  not. 

The  significance  here  is  that  Jehovah-El  begins 
to  develop  the  third  part  of  the  original  promise, 
which  places  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  on  the 
“ground  floor.” 

The  final  test  of  Abraham’s  faith  came  in  the 
command  to  take  and  offer  Isaac  as  a  sacrifice.  It 
was  a  real  test.  It  was  a  vital  test.  It  went  the 
whole  length  of  human  possibilities. 

About  all  we  need  to  say  at  this  point  is  Abra¬ 
ham,  the  man  of  faith,  took  Jehovah-El  at  his 
word,  he  met  the  test  “accounting  that  God  was 
able  to  raise  him  up,  even  from  the  dead,  from 
whence  also  he  received  him  in  a  figure.”  Heb. 
11:19. 

The  impress  we  receive  from  this  hurried  survey 
of  Abraham’s  life  is  the  fact  that  it  has  been  Je- 
hovah-El’s  thought,  plan,  purpose,  word,  and  work 
which  entered  into,  influenced,  gave  bent  and  direc¬ 
tion,  permeated,  dominated  and  invigorated  Abra¬ 
ham’s  life  at  every  turn  of  the  way. 

That  which  began  with  a  call  and  aroused  Abra¬ 
ham  to  action  is  worked  out  and  made  to  assume 
form  in  such  a  manner  as  to  be  in  perfect  harmony 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


77 


with  his  nature. 

So  that  in  the  end  we  see  the  definite  location 
here  on  earth  where  that  which  was  first  given  as  a 
promise  takes  place.  And  what  a  magnificent  loca¬ 
tion  it  is.  “The  key  stone  of  three  continents.” 

Again,  we  have  the  AVord  of  Jehovah-El,  the 
Promise,  assuming  form  in  the  shape  of  a  man, 
Isaac.  Need  we  say  we  have  something  new  here? 
The  significance  of  the  birth  of  this  child  will  never 
be  measured. 

Again,  we  have  more  than  a  location  here  on  earth 
and  a  man  standing  on  it.  We  have  a  man  of  vision. 
One,  who  caught  Heaven’s  conception,  not  in  de¬ 
tails,  but  hope,  aspiration,  desire  and  purpose.  Like 
the  rest  of  humanity  he  will  make  mistakes,  go 
wrong,  miss  the  mark  and  sin.  But  here  is  a  man 
of  faith.  Made  of  Jehovah-El,  the  embodiment 
of  his  Word,  the  word  of  Promise.  The  Promise 
wrought  into  human  flesh.  Located  at  the  gate-way 
of  the  Nations.  He  holds  in  a  sense  the  treasury 
of  all  nations. 

Further  this  is  Jehovah-El’s  undertaking  for 
“All  the  nations  of  the  earth.” 

Now  apply  this  severest  of  all  tests  of  righteous¬ 
ness  that  the  last  six  thousand  years  have  worked 
out,  that  which  takes  into  account  of  thought,  plan, 
purpose,  word  and  work  to  all  we  have  seen  Je¬ 
hovah-El  promise  and  do,  and  we  will  begin  to  see 
the  conception  of  Jehovah-El’s  Righteousness 
as  well  as  the  “Way  of  Jehovah-El.” 

Yes!  Yes!  He  out  strides  our  vision,  He  tests 
our  faith  so  far  at  every  point  as  to  cause  us  to 


78 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


stagger  in  thought,  and  hesitate,  and  wonder.  Yes! 
We  see,  we  feel,  we  know,  we  recognize  we  are  truly 
on  holy  ground.  It  is  Jehovah-El,  the  self-reveal¬ 
ed,  the  covenant  keeping,  the  God-Almighty,  with 
whom  nothing  is  too  hard  to  do,  making,  known  his 
will  and  using  his  energies  for  the  good  of  “all  the 
nations  of  the  earth.” 

The  righteousness  of  Jehovah-El  is  seen  and 
made  known  to  us  in  these  his  thoughts,  plan,  pur¬ 
pose,  word  and  work.  It  will  take  on  form  before 
all  the  world  for  his  glory  and  the  nation’s  good. 
And  here  at  the  beginning  of  revelation  he  makes  it 
to  stand  out  in  distinct  outlines  and  definite  forms. 


DIVISION  V 


A  DISSERTATION  OF  THE  PROMISE  TO  THE 

PATRIARCHS 

rT“'  HE  giving  of  the  revelation  to  Jacob,  Gen. 

28:12-15,  was  some  hundred  and  twenty-five 
years  after  the  call  of  Abraham,  Gen.  12:1-3.  The 
promise  has  had  to  do  with  three  individuals.  The 
period  of  time  is  known  as  that  of  the  Patriarchs. 

There  are  several  things  to  be  noted  before  leav¬ 
ing  the  individual  aspect  of  Jehovah’s  Promise. 

First.  The  choice  of  Jehovah. 

The  choice  that  Jehovah  makes  in  Abraham  for 
the  purpose  of  revealing  that  which  he  is  about  to  do, 
is  grounded,  not  on  the  worth,  or,  merit,  or  any¬ 
thing  else  in  Abraham,  good  as  he  may  have  been, 
and  this  does  not  reflect  discredit  even  in  the  least 
on  his  character,  but  the  ground  of  the  choice  rests 
wholly  in  Jehovah. 

In  the  choice  of  Isaac,  he  was  chosen  twenty-five 
years  before  his  birth,  and  so  made  known  to  Abra¬ 
ham. 

In  the  choice  of  Jacob,  it  was  made  known  to  his 
mother,  before  his  birth,  or  either  he  or  his  brother 
“had  done  good  or  evil”  that  the  second  born  of  the 
twins  was  the  chosen  one  of  Jehovah  for  his  par¬ 
ticular  purpose. 

Further,  with  each  of  these  chosen  ones  there  were 
others  associated.  Lot  with  Abraham.  Ishmael  with 

79 


8o 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Isaac.  Esau  with  Jacob.  This  choice  of  Jehovah 
is  not  a  case  of  fitness  or  merit,  as  men  measure  men 
with  men,  magnifying  some  and  minimizing  others. 
But  the  choice  is  for  the  purpose  of  helping  to 
designate  and  discriminate,  and  to  make  known 
“Jehovah-El’s  Way.”  Gen.  18:19. 

Jehovah  blessed  Lot  as  well  as  Abraham.  Ish- 
mael  found  favor  “And  also  of  the  bondwoman  will 
I  make  a  nation,  because  he  is  thy  seed.”  Gen.  21:13. 
And  to  Hagar  he  said,  “Fear  not,  for  God  hath 
heard  the  voice  of  the  lad,  I  will  make  him  a  great 
nation.”  Gen.  21  :i7- 

Esau,  we  find  on  the  return  of  Jacob,  when  Jacob, 
had  done  his  best  in  sending  gifts  ahead  to  appease 
his  brother’s  wrath  of  twenty  years  standing,  asking, 
“What  means  all  this  drove  I  met.”  And  when 
told  of  Jacob,  replied,  “I  have  enough,  my  brother, 
keep  that  thou  hast  thyself.”  Gen.  23  :8~9. 

Jehovah’s  purpose  in  choice  is  something  deeper 
than  ability  or  fitness  of  men  alone.  Others  are 
taken  into  consideration  by  him  at  the  same  time, 
and  all  three  Patriarchs  were  cognizant  of  this  fact. 

It  would  appear  Jehovah  in  making  these  men  the 
channels  of  his  grace  did  it,  not  to  exclude  others,  as 
blessing  these  others  would  indicate,  but  out  of  his 
own  good  pleasure,  in  order,  that  all  may  see  it  is 
his  doings  for  men  and  nations,  and  not  men’s  do¬ 
ings,  even  these  chosen  men  of  Jehovah. 

We  may  go  a  step  further;  and  say,  the  choice  was 
made  that  when  that  which  is  done,  it  might  rest 
on  Jehovah’s  word,  or  Promise  and  not  on  the 
efforts  of  men. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


81 


So  we  see  Jacob,  the  refugee,  but  a  few  hours 
away  f  rom  the  most  high  handed  treachery  receiving 
the  vision  of  visions. 

It  has  been  interpreted,  “God  entered  into  league 
with  evil.”  The  facts  are  Jehovah  forty  years  be¬ 
fore  made  known  to  Jacob’s  mother  that  the  promise 
should  follow  along  the  line  of  Jacob.  It  was  be¬ 
cause  she  and  the  rest  of  the  family  did  not  under¬ 
stand  the  mode  and  manner  of  the  fulfillment  of  the 
promise,  and  they  were  willing  to  go  the  length  all 
of  them  did  go,  with  such  results  that  they  received 
nothing  from  the  efforts;  but  their  misdeeds  burst 
the  home  asunder,  and  this  refugee  finds  himself 
adrift  in  this  condition. 

Jehovah  now  places  his  grace  along  the  side  of 
all  of  these  efforts  and  failures  of  Jacob,  and  for  the 
purpose,  that  it  may  be  seen  to  be  of  Jehovah’s  grace 
and  not  the  shrewdness  and  works  of  Jacob  or  his 
mother.  The  promise  of  Jehovah  was  not  bound  by 
any  of  these  deeds  of  the  patriarchs,  and  each  of 
them  tried  in  turn. 

Jehovah’s  choice  is  made  to  reveal  his  grace.  And 
the  purpose  of  this  grace  is  the  redemption  of  the 
world.  With  the  very  first  utterance  of  the  prom¬ 
ise  all  nations  of  the  earth  were  taken  into  consider¬ 
ation,  and  on  equal  terms  with  Abraham.  It  is  re¬ 
peated  to  Isaac,  and  “repeated”  to  Jacob.  This  it 
would  seem  to  be,  is  to  reassure  the  Word  of  Je- 
hovah-El  to  all  concerned. 

Choice  has  its  bearing,  on  Jehovah’s  side,  in  his 
good  pleasure.  In  its  relation  to  man,  choice  calls 
out  faith  in  each  of  these  patriarchs,  or,  a  belief  in 


82 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


that  which  Jehovah  promises  them  and  all  nations. 
Jehovah  recognized  at  the  very  first  this  act  of  belief 
as  righteousness  on  the  part  of  Abraham  and  from 
that  day  to  this. 

Faith,  belief  is  an  act  on  the  part  of  man  corollated 
and  adapted  to  that  which  Jehovah  gives  to  man, 
namely,  his  promise,  his  word. 

Further  than  this,  this  manner  of  procedure  on 
the  part  of  Jehovah  permitted  him  to  work  with, 
on,  in,  and  through  these  patriarchs,  and  at  the  same 
time  they  were  able  to  see,  know,  understand,  and 
receive  as  well  as  become  coworkers  with  him.  And 
this  He  did,  we  are  told  by  the  apostle,  not  alone  for 
these  three  men,  but,  “that  Abraham  might  be  the 
father  of  all  them  that  believed,  though  they  be  not 
circumcised ;  that  righteousness  might  be  imputed 
unto  them  also.”  Rom.  4:11. 

Second.  The  second  consideration  is  the  signifi¬ 
cance,  and  the  emphasis,  and  the  proper  place  of 
Jehovah’s  promise,  word  in  his  plan  for  all  na¬ 
tions  of  the  earth. 

I.  The  significance.  We  should  never  lose  sight 
of  the  fact  that  we  are  studying  in  the  Book  of  Be¬ 
ginnings.  That  in  this  book  the  writer  has  not  tried 
to  give  a  history  of  the  people  from  Adam  to  Abra¬ 
ham,  but  his  purpose  is  to  connect  up  the  beginnings 
of  Jehovah’s  for  all  the  nations  of  the  earth. 

After  the  creation,  it  is  Man  he  deals  with,  and 
man  in  his  relation  to  and  with  God.  The  writer 
gives  the  beginning  of  sin  in  the  world,  and  the  be¬ 
ginning  of  death  which  “Reigned  from  Adam  to 
Moses  even  over  them  that  had  not  sinned  after  th^ 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


83 


similitude  of  Adam’s  transgression.”  Rom.  5:14. 

With  the  beginning  of  sin  and  death  he  gives  the 
beginning  of  the  Promise  of  “The  seed  of  the  wo¬ 
man.”  Gen.  3:15.  But  this  knowledge  conveyed  is 
only  indirect  to  Adam,  that  is  to  say,  the  words  were 
spoken  to  the  tempter  in  the  presence  of  Adam  and 
not  to  Adam.  Yet  in  this  indirect  way  something 
definite  had  been  imparted  to  Adam.  Its  meaning 
is  centered  in  the  words  “The  seed  of  the  woman.” 

In  nine  short  chapters,  from  three  to  twelve,  the 
writer,  traces  across  the  generations  of  men  the 
lineage  along  which  this  grace  of  Jehovah  takes  its 
course  until  it  reaches  Abraham. 

We  are  yet  in  the  beginning  of  things  according 
to  this  book  of  beginnings,  although  many  centuries 
have  passed.  The  indirect  promise  of  Gen.  3:15, 
given  centuries  before  to  Adam  assumes  a  distinct 
and  definite  form  of  Gen.  12:1-3,  “And  in  thee  shall 
all  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.” 

The  significance  is  Jehovah-Elohim  has 
Spoken.  His  Word  has  gone  forth.  It  is  given  to 
the  World  never  to  be  recalled,  but  to  be  followed 
and  backed  up  by  Jehovah-Elohim,  the  self  re¬ 
vealed  god;  the  covenant  keeping  god;  the 

GOD  ALMIGHTY,  ABLE  TO  DO  THAT  WHICH  HE  HAS 
PROMISED. 

It  is  the  Promise,  purposely  given  and  so  regarded 
by  Jehovah,  to  establish  his  Spoken  or  Given 
word,  in  order,  that  His  word  might  have  the  Pre¬ 
eminence  in  that  which  he  has  planned  and  pur¬ 
posed  to  do  for  all  nations  of  the  earth.  “For  when 
God  made  promise  to  Abraham,  because  he  could 


84 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


swear  by  no  greater,  he  swear  by  himself — wherein 
God,  willing  more  abundantly  to  shew  unto  the 
heirs  the  immutability  of  his  counsel,  confirmed,  it 
by  an  oath :  that  by  two  immutable  things,  in  which 
it  was  impossible  for  God  to  lie,  we  might  have  a 
strong  consolation.”  Heb.  6:13-18. 

The  form  in  which  the  Word  is  given,  namely, 
The  spoken  word  is  regarded  by  Jehovah  as  if  it 
was  already  worked  out  and  accomplished,  yes,  and 
it  is  even  better  in  the  promised  form,  for  the  pur¬ 
pose  He  intended  it  to  accomplish. 

Something  definite  has  been  given.  His  promise 
centered  about  “the  seed  of  the  woman,”  and  now 
it  is  the  seed  of  Abraham. 

The  Word  made,  given,  holds,  conveys,  and  be¬ 
queaths  something  to  Abraham,  and  in  turn  all  the 
nations  of  the  earth  to  be  believed,  received,  hoped 
for,  expected ;  and  believed  and  hoped  for  future 
generations. 

In  significance  The  spoken  word  is  on  a  par 
with  the  Deed  done.  It  is  so  regarded  by  Jehovah, 
himself.  Gal.  3:16-18,  “For  if  the  inheritance  be 
of  the  law,  it  is  no  more  of  Promise  :  but  God  gave 

it  to  Abraham  by  promise.” 

The  Word,  the  promise,  is  given  in  this  form  for 
the  purpose  of  allowing  Abraham,  and  all  others, 
to  have  the  benefit  of  knowing,  and  seeing,  and  un¬ 
derstanding  how  Jehovah-El  will  bring  it  all 
about,  “That  Abraham  might  be  the  father  of  all 
them  that  believe.” 

The  significance  of  the  promise  is  Jehovah  has 
Given  his  word.  Now  it  is  not  that  which  the 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


85 


Patriarchs  understood  the  Promise  to  be  in  turn, 
with  which  we  are  at  present  concerned,  but  that 
which  Jehovah  intended  to  convey,  and  that  which 
succeeding  generations  has  proved  He  then  and 
there  did  give  to  all  nations. 

That  which  Jehovah-Elohim  spoke  forth  for 
all  nations  can  not  be  compared  with  anything  less 
than  his  creative  Word.  “In  the  beginning  Elohim 
created  the  heavens  and  the  earth.”  Indeed  it  is 
in  some  such  sense  John  in  his  Gospel  puts  it,  “In  the 
beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God.” 

If  we  can  explain  the  creative  act,  then,  we 
might  explain  the  beginning  of  the  Promise  spok¬ 
en  by  Jehovah-El.  The  two  acts  are  regarded 
on  the  same  plain  in  the  Bible.  They  belong  to 
Jehovah-El,  “The  light  that  lighteth  every  man 
that  cometh  into  the  world.”  We  may  speculate 
with  the  metaphysical,  but,  in  the  concrete,  the 
significance  of  the  Spoken  word  is,  it  has  all  of 
Heaven’s  power  behind  it  for  all  nations  of  the 
earth. 

From  this  point  it  is  like  a  nine  hundred  and 
ninety-nine  years  lease  the  purpose  conveyed  and 
covered  all  contingencies.  It  is  regarded  as  final  by 
Jehovah,  for  all  nations  of  the  earth,  and  here  is 
where  He  places  the  Emphasis  himself. 

This  Promise,  holds  supremacy  over  succeeding 
actions,  such  as  the  Law,  “Which  was  given  four 
hundred  and  thirty  years  after,  can  not  disannul, 
that  it  should  make  the  promise  of  none  effect.” 

And  the  same  is  true  of  the  prophets  and  pro- 


86 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


phesy.  “But  now  the  righteousness  of  God  with¬ 
out  the  law  is  manifested,  being  witnessed  by  the 
law  and  the  prophets.”  Rom.  3  :2i. 

Both  the  law  and  the  prophets  are  subordinate  to 
this  Promise,  or  this  Word  of  Jehovah-El.  And 
here  is  where  Jehovah-El  places  his  Emphasis  on 
this  Promise.  Gen.  12:1-3. 

Again.  And  this  is  the  place  in  the  history  of 
redeeming  grace,  in  the  very  beginning,  with  the 
individual  man,  the  three  patriarchs,  that  this  prom¬ 
ise  is  given  to  all  nations.  There  is  nothing  to  sup¬ 
ersede  it  in  the  law  or  prophets  later  given.  The 
Promise  is  supreme  in  the  redemptive  thought,  plan, 
purpose,  word  and  work  of  Jehovah-El  for  all  of 
the  nations  of  the  earth.  Here  is  the  original  Word 
in  which  all  nations  share  and  share  alike.  We  see 
it  here  in  its  first  form,  the  spoken  Word,  the 
Promise  given. 

To  subordinate  this  promise  to  the  law  later  giv¬ 
en,  or  the  prophets  still  later,  is  to  substitute  the  in¬ 
ferior  for  the  greater,  and  miss  the  grace  of  Jehov¬ 
ah-El  which  is  the  hope  of  the  nations.  Thus  at 
the  very  beginning  He  established  the  principle  on 
which  he  will  deal  with  all  nations.  He  then  called 
for  operative  faith,  belief  in  his  word  and  work 
and  found  it  in  each  of  the  patriarchs  and  “He  ac¬ 
counted  it  for  righteousness.”  Gen.  15:6. 

This  Promise  holds  supremacy  over  the  Law  and 
the  Prophets,  in  the  sense  that  a  whole  is  greater 
than  a  part. 

In  considering  the  relative  position  of  The  Prom¬ 
ise  to  the  Law  or  the  Prophets,  there  are  those 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


87 


who  allow  this  Promise,  to  drop  down  into  a  sec¬ 
ond  place,  and  it  becomes  inferior  to  the  Law,  or, 
to,  some  prophecy,  or,  it  becomes  lost  in  the  “Ten 
thousand”  promises.  The  Promise,  to  them  has 
lost  its  supremacy,  if  it  ever  had  it  in  them.  With 
such  there  is  confusion  of  thought  and  an  indefinite 
note.  The  Promise  of  Jehovah-El  is  not  held  in 
the  same  clearness  of  apprehension  that  the  law  of 
Jehovah  is.  The  Promise  of  Jehovah-El  seems 
to  be  an  indefinite  something.  The  plan  and  the 
purpose  of  Jehovah-El  is  thus  subordinated  to  a 
part,  and  the  principal  of  righteousness  violated,  the 
structure  is  marred,  and  danger  brought  to  the 
whole  and  there  is  confusion,  division  and  strife. 

This  is  to  allow  the  definite  part  of  the  Promise 
to  give  way  before  the  indefinite.  Abraham  has 
worked  out  the  principle  of  faith  at  this  point  and 
received,  and  embraced  the  Word  for  all  the  heirs. 
Here  it  is  that  we  find  the  inheritance,  in  The 
Word,  and  share  and  share  alike. 

It  is  far  better  to  hold  to  the  definite  part  of  the 
Word,  and  try  in  our  feeble  ways  to  help  out  Je¬ 
hovah,  and  make  the  mistakes  as  did  Abraham,  and 
Sarah,  and  Hagar  rather  than  allow  unbelief  to 
hold  sway  at  this  vital  point  in  life.  This  is  the 
Promise  above  all  others,  not  alone  in  its  priority, 
but  in  the  sense  it  is  made  the  parent  of  all  others. 

The  promised  seed,  the  definite  part  is  where  the 
patriarchs’  faith  rested.  “Now  to  Abraham  and  his 
seed  were  the  promises  made.  He  said  not,  and  to 
seeds,  as  of  many,  but  as  of  one,  and  to  thy  seed, 
which  is  Christ.”  Gal.  3:16. 


88 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


Again.  This  promise  holds  supremacy  over  the 
Law  and  the  Prophets  in  that  which  it  has  to  give 
to  all  nations. 

The  Promise  is  so  definite  and  distinct;  and  has; 
and  holds;  and  has  to  give,  convey,  and  bequeath 
something  so  definite  as  to  match  what  it  has  to  im¬ 
part  over  and  against  the  Law  and  that  which  the 
Law  has  to  give.  “Is  the  Law  then  against  the 
promise  of  God  ?  God  forbid ;  for  if  there  had  been 
a  law  given  which  could  have  given  life,  verily 
righteousness  should  have  been  by  the  law,  but  the 
scripture  hath  concluded  all  under  sin,  that  the 
promise  by  faith  of  Jesus  Christ  might  be  given  to 
them  that  believed.”  Gal.  3:21. 

The  Promise  has  a  righteousness  to  bestow  and 
a  life  to  give.  The  apostle  goes  even  further  than 
this  and  makes  the  Law  and  the  Prophets  to  be  the 
hand-maids  to  this  promise.  “But  now  the  righte¬ 
ousness  of  God  without  the  law  is  manifested,  be¬ 
ing  witnessed  by  the  law  and  the  prophets.”  Rom. 
3:16- 

Then  in  place  of  regarding  this  promise  as  some¬ 
thing  vague  and  indefinite  we  ought  to  grasp  the 
divine  purpose  and  allow  its  significance,  and  give 
it  the  legitimate  emphasis,  and  recognize  its  place  in 
Jehovah-El’s  plan  for  all  nations. 

The  promise  here  given,  at  this  time,  was  as  good 
as  a  draft  on  the  bank.  As  good  as  cash.  Yes!  It 
was  better,  for  all  concerned  than  the  cash,  for  in 
the  working  out  of  the  plan  we  have  the  benefit  of 
the  experience,  as  well  as  share  in  the  money. 

Should  we  fail  here  to  grasp  the  significance  of 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


89 


the  Promise,  The  word  of  Jehovah-El  we  will 
fail  to  understand  much  that  he  has  to  give  to  all 
nations. 

Our  plea  is  to  give  The  Righteousness  of 
Jehovah-El  the  place  and  significance  he  himself 
intended  it  to  have  in  his  great  revelation  to  all 
nations. 

Now,  it  would  seem  to  be  is  the  time,  “psycho¬ 
logical  time,”  to  cause  all  nations  to  see,  feel,  know, 
and  understand  that  there  is  a  common  ground,  a 
righteousness  ground  where  all  nations  share  and 
share  alike  in  all  that  Heaven  has  to  give  to  Earth 

Third.  The  blessing. 

The  blessing  is  bound  up  in  the  promise.  The 
intrinsic  value  of  the  promise  is  that  which  is  can  do 
for  all  of  the  heirs.  One  of  the  greatest  blessings 
is,  it  calls  forth  faith  in  all.  The  blessing  begins 
with  the  call.  It  awakened  at  once  a  new  hope.  It 
inspired  a  new  aspiration.  It  called  forth  new  de¬ 
sires.  It  led  to  new  activities  in  all  three  of  these 
Patriarchs. 

The  blessing  takes  weak  sinful  humanity  and  adds 
that  which  Jehovah  knows  to  be  best.  The  bless¬ 
ing  consisted  in  the  union  of  the  divine  and  human, 
so  in  the  case  of  the  Patriarchs  we  see  it  issuing  out 
of  the  promise  and  coming  to  these  men,  by  quicken¬ 
ing  their  lives,  opening  up  their  understanding,  giv¬ 
ing  new  desires,  leading  them  out  into  new  activi¬ 
ties  and  causing  the  actual  Word  spoken  to  assume 
form,  in  lands,  and  herds,  and  heirs,  together  with 
the  knowledge  that  through  a  certain  line  of  hu¬ 
manity,  that  all  nations  of  the  earth  are  to  be  blessed. 


90 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


And  this  blessing  of  Jehovah  is  the  life  giving 
stream  that  has  taken  its  course  across  the  genera¬ 
tions  of  men.  Men  and  nations  are  cognizant  of  its 
grace  and  in  this  grace  is  found  the  larger  concep¬ 
tion,  with  sufficient  power  to  give  the  vision  and 
furnish  the  inspiration  and  apply  the  lifting  energy 
which  all  men  and  nations  need  in  the  World’s 

PEACE  MOVEMENT. 


DIVISION  VI 


THE  PRESENT  WORLD  CRISIS 
HE  present  world  crisis  affords  an  extraordi¬ 


nary  occasion — It  makes  known  a  “World- 
Consciousness” — It  emphasizes  the  needs  of  na¬ 
tional  and  international  life — And  it  reveals  the 
necessity  of  the  basic  principle  of  the  Righteous¬ 
ness  of  Jehovah-El  for  present  and  future  de¬ 
velopment. 

That  these  are  some  of  the  facts  and  truths  which 
at  present  stand  out  before  the  thinking  world  un¬ 
mistakable  in  their  claims,  and  insistent,  yes,  even 
imperative  in  their  demands,  all  seem  willing  to 
concede. 

That  there  are  men,  societies,  institutions,  and 
nations  cognizant  of  these  different  aspects  of  the 
world’s  need  does  not  require  any  argument  to 
evidence  the  fact,  or,  a  philosophy  to  sustain  the 
truth.  Rather,  it  would  seem  the  imperative  demand 
of  this  crisis  is  a  recognition  of  this  “World  Con¬ 
sciousness”  of  its  need,  and  at  this  point  is  the 
place  where  all  our  energy,  and  thought,  and  ac¬ 
tivity  should  be  focused,  in  order  that  out  of  the 
diverging  opinions  of  men,  institutions,  and  nations 
we  may  discover  the  line  of  operation  along  which 
these  differences  may  be  assigned  their  relative  posi¬ 
tion,  and  out  of  all  of  this  confusion,  strife,  arms, 
war  of  the  world :  and  Law,  fundamental,  national, 


92 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


and  international :  and  the  effort,  energies  and 
achievement  of  men,  societies,  institutions,  and  na¬ 
tions:  and  this  world-consciousness  of  national  re¬ 
sponsibility,  obligation,  and  opportunity  we  may  find 
the  line  of  operation  that  will  be  fair  to  all  na¬ 
tions. 

It  would  not  be  fair  to  any  or  all  to  make  a  line 
of  cleavage,  and  then  invite,  or,  force  into  one  camp 
or  the  other  the  war  element  and  the  peace  element. 

This  is  that,  which  has  been  done  already  too  of¬ 
ten,  and  it  has  worked  the  confusion  and  the  divi¬ 
sion  of  the  past. 

The  worlds — consciousness  of  its  need  “has  struck 
the  hour.”  The  crisis  has  sounded  the  time.  “Now.” 
It  is  time  to  break  away  from  past  theories,  and 
philosophies  and  efforts  to  something  different. 

This  world  consciousness  of  its  need  is  a  great 
stride  forward.  It  is  a  consciousness  of  that  which 
no  single  element  of  humanity  seems  at  the  present 
hour  to  hold  a  monopoly. 

That  men  of  war  and  peace  are  cognizant  of  this 
need  and  would  solve  it  in  their  way  is  still  a  further 
step  forward,  that  is  to  say  each  see  the  need,  and 
each  in  his  way  sees  a  solution  to  it.  But  since  they 
are  diametrically  opposed  neither  can  be  wholly 
right. 

But  in  this  world-consciousness  is  there  not  an 
element  in  each,  an  element  of  righteousness,  an  in¬ 
dex  finger  pointing  the  way,  a  prophecy  giving  the 
light,  the  “unit-character”  belonging  to  the  race,  the 
.  mutation  capable  of  greater  things,  that  points  out 
the  Way  of  Jehovah-El’s  Righteousness  for  all 


The  Righteousness  of 'Jehovah 


93 


nations. 

Is  not  then  the  real  and  the  true  hope  not  in  dif¬ 
ferences  in  either  camp,  “Armed  peace,”  or,  “Peace 
at  any  price”  but  in  the  likeness,  the  hope  of  peace 
that  the  nations  have  been  working  out,  because  Je¬ 
hovah  has  planted  in  the  bosom  of  men  the  funda¬ 
mental  principle  of  righteousness  and  has  himself 
worked  out  here  among  the  nations  “His  Way.” 
For  his  way  makes  all  nations  heirs  of  his  promise 
and  to  share  and  share  alike. 

His  way  recognizes  the  least  of  the  nations  and 
places  a  world-consciousness  of  responsibility,  obli¬ 
gation,  and  opportunity  on  the  strong. 

Then  in  place  of  making  a  line  of  cleavage,  seek¬ 
ing  to  divide  individuals,  societies,  institutions,  and 
nations  into  divisions,  parties,  camps,  in  order  to 
controvert  the  difference  is  not  Jehovah-El’s  way 
the  better,  A  Righteousness  that  comes  by  Faith 
that  recognizes  what  a  tremendous  problem  He  is 
working  out  for  all  nations. 

A  faith  in  his  righteousness  which  recognizes  that 
which  he  is  doing  with  other  nations  as  well  as  our 
own.  He  has  those  nations  who  are  awakening  to 
the  great  fundamental  laws  of  life  and  are  con¬ 
templating  their  own  existence,  as  well  as  those  na¬ 
tions  who  have  caught  the  vision  of  life  and  are 
struggling  to  work  out  their  own  salvation,  as  well 
as  those  nations  who  have  caught  the  world-con¬ 
sciousness  of  responsibility,  obligation,  and  oppor¬ 
tunity  seek  to  co-operate  with  him  for  all  nations. 

Peace  does  not,  and  it  should  not  mean  unison  of 
thought,  and  plan,  and  action.  It  does  not  mean,  it 


94 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


should  not  mean  the  strong  selfishly,  ruling  arro¬ 
gantly  over  the  weak,  however  cultured,  scientific, 
economical,  and  learned. 

The  unit-character  of  the  nations  is  Righteous¬ 
ness,  not  language — not  customs,  not  economics, 
not  methods,  these  are  all  right  in  their  place,  these 
must  win  their  way,  and  pay  the  price,  and  show 
their  worth,  and  demonstrate  their  utility  to  people 
and  nations. 

Peace  should  not  seek  unison  in  this  sense,  but 
rather  Peace  should  “live  to  let  live,”  for  in  the  dif¬ 
ferences  of  people  and  nations  at  the  point  of  the 
unit-character — of  degree  and  quality  of  Righte¬ 
ousness,  there  is  a  large  field  to  be  cultivated  that 
is  very  productive ;  and  the  more  intensely  it  is 
farmed  the  greater  will  appear  the  unit-character, 
Righteousness  at  the  point  of  nature  and  kind, 
and  the  people  and  nations  will  discover  the  greater 
likeness  which  exists  in  the  race. 

The  Peace  movement  seeks  to  settle  the  differ¬ 
ences  that  arise  without  going  to  war.  This  does 
not  mean  that  Law,  International  law  may  not 
need  a  judicial  and  executive  system  for  the  govern¬ 
ment  and  administration,  for  this  may  be  just  what 
is  needed  . 

War  is  like  a  parasite.  It  lives  on  the  race.  It 
is  born  of  the  opposite  principle  of  righteousness, 
that  of  sin.  That  sin  is  in  the  world  is  a  tremendous 
fact,  and  a  power  we  do  not  minimize,  or,  seek  to 
overlook.  “But  sin  is  selfishness,”  “sin  is  suicidal,” 
“sin  is  self-destruction,”  and  this  is  that  which  war 
has  worked  out  before  all  the  nations.  That  this  sin 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


95 


is  now  consuming  itself  in  this  world  crisis  is  likely 
to  be  one  of  the  outcomes  of  the  titantic  struggle  and 
the  Peace  movement  seeks  to  be  prepared  for  any 
and  all  eventualities. 

a.  The  Peace  movement  is  like  a  geometrical 
problem,  many  sided,  complicated,  and  intricate,  yet, 
with  principles  of  solution.  It  is  a  problem  which  at 
present  is  in  the  process  of  solution.  Indeed  there 
seems  to  be  no  figure  of  speech  great  enough  to  cover 
all  of  the  conditions.  We  have,  in  the  family  of 
nations,  something  greater  than  an  abstract  problem. 
We  have  life  highly  organized  and  from  that  down 
to  its  ancient  and  simplest  forms,  of  national  ex¬ 
istence. 

We  have  life  from  the  tribal  form  of  government 
on,  and  up,  and  through  all  the  forms  of  organized 
national  life.  Yes  we  have  even  something  greater 
than  this.  We  have  a  “world’s  consciousness”  which 
at  present  is  trying  to  assume  international  form  that 
will  be  recognized  by  all  the  leading  nations,  by 
which  the  differences  that  arise,  may  be  adjusted  in 
right,  just,  true  and  honorable  relation  to  all. 

And,  yet,  this  perhaps  is  an  inadequate  statement, 
for  it  is  wanting  at  the  point  of  embracing  rising 
contingencies,  if  all  the  conditions  were  fully  in 
hand. 

Then  among  the  nations  there  are  inherent  char¬ 
acteristic  tendencies,  bent  of  life,  which  are  always 
to  be  reckoned  with  in  dealing  with  national  life. 
But  with  all  due  respect  and  recognition  of  this  im¬ 
pediment  the  Peace  movement  is  an  undertaking 
moving  in  the  right  direction  and  can  not  justly  be 


96 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


overlooked  by  friend  or  foe. 

That  there  are  divergency  of  opinion  as  to  just 
what  should  be  undertaken  and  expected,  would 
seem  to  be  a  part  of  the  answer.  This  assures  that 
all  the  conditions  and  contingencies  may  be  worked 
out  and  considered.  Indeed  with  respect  to  these 
divergencies  of  opinions  we  should  be  surprised  if 
we  did  not  find  different  modes  of  procedure  in  at¬ 
tempting  a  solution.  Every  attempt,  every  theory, 
every  organization,  every  society,  every  institution 
is  making  for  that  which  should  be. 

That  men  differ  in  their  manner  of  solution  does 
not  mitigate  the  fact  of  the  great  need  of  the 
World’s  peace  movement,  but,  rather  helps  to 
develop  the  “world-consciousness”  of  that  which  is 
needed  to  be  undertaken  in  the  solution  of  the  prob- 
lem. 

To  find  this  “world-consciousness”  of  its  need, 
and  to  see  it  taking  on  form,  and  giving  expression 
to  its  wants  are  some  of  the  hopeful  signs,  and  dem¬ 
onstrate  the  working  utility  of  the  principle. 

That  this  expression  of  the  Peace  movement  as¬ 
sumes  different  forms,  from  the  Military  pacifists, 
who  we  grant  are  honest,  true,  and  fair,  (we  can¬ 
not  accept  the  dictum  “might  makes  right”)  to  the 
other  extreme  Peace  at  any  Price  are  but  different 
faces  of  the  same  problem.  It  is  not  impossible  that 
in  the  course  of  time  that  these  extreme  views  will 
work  together. 

The  facts  would  seem  to  be  at  present  there  are 
fields  of  operation  for  all  of  these  efforts,  and  one 
may  do  the  work  better  than  the  other. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


97 


In  dealing  with  the  family  of  nations  it  is  much 
like  dealing  with  individuals.  There  is  a  great  dif¬ 
ference  amidst  a  greater  likeness. 

The  difference  is  not  to  be  treated  lightly,  or,  ig¬ 
nored,  for  the  difference  is  not  that  of  nature  and 
kind,  but  of  degree  and  quality.  So  that  the  univer¬ 
sal  principle  of  righteousness  underlies  and  effects  all 
nations  and  people  from  the  least  to  the  greatest. 
To  say  the  effect  is  always  the  same  is  to  blind  our 
eyes  to  the  fact.  On  the  other  hand  to  doubt  the 
principle  is  equally  as  hazardous  to  the  final  solu¬ 
tion. 

With  one  nation  its  effort  for  existence  may  be  at 
the  point  of  Law  in  all  of  its  fundamentals;  with 
another  nation  it  may  be  at  the  point  of  self-con¬ 
sciousness  of  its  own  need  of  working  out  its  own 
salvation;  with  another  nation  a  still  higher  sense, 
that  of  the  world  wide  responsibility,  and  obliga¬ 
tion,  and  opportunity  not  alone  for  self-existence 
but  as  a  world  power  for  the  good  of  others. 

So  in  fact  there  is  a  great  field  to  cover,  in  which 
difference  of  opinion,  and  even  of  method  of  solution 
may  be  found,  but  the  difference  is  at  the  point  of 
degree  and  quality  of  righteousness  rather  than  that 
of  nature  and  kind. 

There  should  not  be  destructive  strife  between 
Pacifists  for  the  chances  are,  that  such,  grow  out 
of  differences  that  can  be  accounted  for  along  the 
line  of  degree  and  quality  of  righteousness. 

Here  is  a  nation,  a  people,  just  awakening  to  the 
necessity  of  Law  and  law  abiding  citizens.  (This 
does  not  come  in  a  generation).  What  is  the  right 


98 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


attitude  of  a  first  class  nation  to  such?  Surely  not 
that,  of  one  more  highly  developed.  They  are  not 

in  a  condition  to  receive. 

Then  what  of  those,  to  whom  the  sense  of  a 
world-consciousness  has  taken  a  deep  and  a  profound 
hold?  In  whom  the  impress  of  responsibility,  obli¬ 
gation,  and  opportunity  stands  out  in  such  unmistak¬ 
able  outlines  that  they  cannot— they  no  longer  dare 
not  shrink  or  withdraw ;  but  as  men  and  nations  as¬ 
sume  the  burden  willingly,  unselfishly,  sacrificing 
their  all  for  the  weaker,  less  developed  and  the 
needy.  Surely  here  it  is  where  the  most  far  reach¬ 
ing  and  beneficial  effect  is  seen,  and  work  is  being 

In  the  development  of  national  life  it  is  inevitable 
but  that  differences  will  arise.  There  will  be  strife 
and  divisions.  These  are  to  be  reckoned  with  rather 
than  ignored,  or  condemned,  or  resisted  or  destroy¬ 
ed.  The  difference  may  grow  out  of  characteristics 
belonging  to  the  people.  They  are  not  to »  be  treated 
wholly  as  freaks,  or  degenerates,  or  selfish.  We  do 
not  do  so  in  dealing  with  other  forms  of  human  life. 

The  real  problem  is  how  to  deal  with  the  differ¬ 
ences,  the  strife  without  war.  It  is  possible  to  ad¬ 
just  these  differences  and  collusions  and  work  har¬ 
mony  out  of  them?  ,  ->  T 

Is  there  a  common  ground,  a  meeting  place .  Is 
there  a  common  principle  recognized  by  all?  Is 
there  a  concept  of  life  that  will  be  final  to  all . 

If  so  it  becomes  a  matter  of  principle  first,  a  ques¬ 
tion  of  recognition  of  the  principle,  then,  a  matter  o 
adopting  and  of  application,  second.  Hence  we  see 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


99 


the  need  for  “arbitration” — “international  agree¬ 
ment” — “international  peace  league” — “interna¬ 
tional  law” — “international  court  with  sufficient 
force  to  back  its  rulings.”  These  are  good.  These 
are  far  reaching  in  their  usefulness.  These  are 
necessary. 

To  say  these  are  “visionary”  and  lacking  in  the 
elements  that  are  essential  to  national  life,  is  to  use 
» a  term  that  needs  to  be  defined  anew,  for  in  this  day 
of  discovery,  inventions,  and  application  men  accept 
as  facts,  and  operate  on  principles,  and  use  methods, 
and  instruments  and  machines  that  have  been 
brought  out  of  the  “no-where”  and  given  to  us,  and 
we  may  not  be  seeing  eye  to  eye.  There  are  visions 
and  there  are  visions.  So  in  using  the  term  “vision¬ 
ary”  it  is  well  to  consider  whether  we  are  seeing  the 
same  thing. 

Again.  We  surely  can  not  justly  call  such  words, 
as  follows,  “far-fetched”  and  the  authors  visionary 
men. 

“We  must  insist  on  righteousness  first  and  fore¬ 
most.  We.  must  strive  for  peace  always,  but  we 
must  never  hesitate  to  put  righteousness  above 
peace.”  Colonel  Roosevelt. 

“Peace  can  never  be  except  as  it  is  founded  upon 
justice.  .  .  .  If  we  would  have  peace,  it  is 

not  enough  to  cry  ‘Peace,  Peace!’  But  far  the  great¬ 
est  cause  of  war  is  that  suspicion  of  injustice,  threat¬ 
ened  and  intended,  which  comes  from  exasperated 
feeling.  .  .  .  Questions  which  can  be  disposed 

of  without  the  slightest  difficulty  between  countries 
really  friendly  are  insoluble  between  countries  really 


IOO 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


unfriendly.”  Mr.  Elihu  Root. 

Von  Jagow  in  his  reply  to  the  Second  American 
note  regarding  submarine  warfare  justifies  their  po¬ 
sition  with  these  words:  “If  the  Imperial  govern¬ 
ment  were  derelict  in  its  duties  it  would  be  guilty 
before  God  and  history  of  the  violation  of  those  prin¬ 
ciples  of  highest  humanity  which  are  the  foundation 
of  every  national  existence.” 

Gen.  Cadorna  is  often  quoted  these  days  as  giving 
his  theory  of  army  discipline.  “It  is  impossible  to 
obtain  success  in  war  if  the  moral  discipline  is  not 
accompanied  by  a  firm  and  truly  harmonious  dis¬ 
cipline  of  the  intelligence.” 

“The  United  States  and  Peace”  (1914)  Ex-Pres¬ 
ident  William  H.  Taft  “elucidates  the  history  and 
conception  of  a  court  of  judicial  arbitration. 

Sir  Edward  Carson,  Nov.  26th,  1915,  speaking  to 
the  American  Club  on  “The  Duty  of  Neutrals”  said, 
“The  necessity  for  maintenance,  the  sustaining  and 
supporting  of  international  law  and  international 
jurisprudence  becomes  more  vivid — is  more  brought 
home  to  us — when  we  remember  that  a  breach  of 
international  law,  necessarily  in  the  rules  of  war, 
leads  to  reprisals — and  reprisals  know  no  limit.” 

Surely  if  we  are  ever  going  to  advance  in  the  ces¬ 
sation  of  war,  and  establish  a  better  understanding 
with  the  family  of  nations,  and  arrive  at  a  place 
where  justice  is  in  the  reach  of  all  nations,  then  we 
should  study  to  follow  the  leading  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  for  all  nations  recognize  the  necessity  of  the 

Way  of  Righteousness. 

The  French  historian  D’Aubigne,  says,  “It  is 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


IOI 


now  understood  that  in  history,  as  in  man,  there  are 
two  elements — matter  and  spirit.  Unwilling  to  re¬ 
sign  themselves  to  the  task  of  producing  a  simple 
recital  of  acts,  which  would  have  been  but  a  barren 
chronicle,  our  great  modern  historians  have  sought 
for  a  vital  principle  to  animate  the  materials  of 
past  ages.  Some  have  borrowed  this  principle 
from  the  rules  of  art, — others  have  sought  in  philos¬ 
ophy  the  principle  that  should  fertilize  their  labors, 
— Both  these  methods,  undoubtedly  are  good,  and 
should  be  employed  with  certain  limits.  But  there 
is  another  source  to  which,  above  all,  we  must  look 
for  the  intelligence,  Spirit,  and  life  of  the  past  ages ; 
and  this  source  is  religion. 

“History  should  live  by  that  life  which  belongs  to 
it,  and  that  life  is  God. 

“In  history,  God  should  be  acknowledged  and 
proclaimed.  The  history  of  the  world  should  be  set 
forth  as  the  annals  of  the  government  of  the  Sover¬ 
eign  King.”  Continuing  he  says,  “I  have  gone  down 
into  the  lists  whither  the  recitals  of  our  historians 
have  invited  me. 

“There  I  have  witnessed  the  actions  of  men  and 
nations  developing  themselves  with  energy — and 
contending  in  violent  collision.  I  have  heard  the 
strange  din  of  arms,  but  I  have  been  nowhere  shown 
the  majestic  countenance  of  the  presiding  Judge. 

“And  yet  there  is  a  living  God  in  every  national 
movement.  God  is  ever  present  on  the  vast  theatre 
where  successive  generations  of  men  meet  and  strug- 

gle. 

“It  is  true  He  is  unseen;  but  if  heedless  multi- 


102 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


tudes  passed  by  without  caring  for  him,  because  He 
a  God  that  dwelleth  in  the  thick  darkness,  thought¬ 
ful  men,  who  yearn  for  the  very  principle  of  their 
existence,  seek  for  him  the  more  ardently,  and  are 
not  satisfied  until  they  lie  prostrate  at  his  feet.” 

b.  Back  of  all  this  movement  that  makes  for 
peace  is  this  fundamental  principle  of  righteousness. 
It  is  the  unit-character  belonging  to  all  nations.  It 
is  the  index  finger,  now,  pointing  the  way.  It  is 
the  prophecy  revealing  the  light.  It  is  the  mutation 
in  this  crisis  capable  of  great  things. 

But  the  passion  of  life  knows  no  limit.  Life  is 
controlled,  but  by  its  own  consciousness  and  its  effort 
after  life.  So  agreements  may  become  “a  scrap  of 
paper”  and  international  laws  ignored  and  abro¬ 
gated.  These  will  not,  and  can  not  hold,  and  con¬ 
trol  life  under  all  conditions.  They  are  parts  of  a 
greater  whole.  They  have  their  place  in  the  whole 
and  they  perform  their  functions. 

Nations  like  individuals  are  born.  They  then 
advance  from  one  position  to  another  by  that  myster¬ 
ious  process  we  call  life.  Birth  viewed  from  the 
point  of  the  individual  is  a  sudden  change  in  condi¬ 
tions  of  life  forced  upon  the  individual. 

Birth  viewed  from  the  position  of  immediate  con¬ 
ditions  is  a  transition  from  one  sphere,  or,  state  of 
existence  in  life  to  a  more  favorable  one. 

Birth  viewed  from  the  point  of  the  transition  is 
usually  one  of  more  or  less  interest,  not  alone  to  the 
individual  born,  but  to  all  others  concerned. 

Birth  viewed  as  a  whole  is  fraught  with  antici¬ 
pations  and  expectations  which  are  hopeful,  blessed 


\ 


'  •.‘V  *~7  *  '***■  'T'  - 


TA?  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


103 


and  life  giving. 

Birth  of  the  individual  because  of  its  relation  with 
others,  and  the  conditions  which  effect  others,  is  al¬ 
ways  to  be  reckoned  with  in  the  family  of  nations. 

Birth’s  influence,  is  effective  from  the  beginning 
down  to  the  present.  So  in  dealing  with  the  fam¬ 
ily  of  nations  the  fundamental  principles  which  con¬ 
trols  the  destiny  of  each  is  not  to  be  ignored. 

These  fundamental  laws  which  give  bent  and  di¬ 
rection  in  life  help  to  make  the  individual  and  lend 
to  the  characteristic  development  of  the  nation. 

In  the  family  of  nations  today  there  is  to  be  seen 
those  just  awakening  to  the  consciousness  of  their 
existence  and  wandering  in  quest  in  the  wilderness. 
Law  in  all  of  its  function  is  to  be  depended  on  to 
do  for  these  such  as  it  has  done  for  others  in  the  past. 
Law,  and  righteousness  found  in  the  law  is  more  to 
be  depended  upon  in  solving  the  problems  than  any 
other  power. 

Again.  In  the  family  of  nations  there  is  to  be 
seen,  those  who  have  discovered  their  own  identity, 
and  are  studying  their  own  individuality,  and  seek¬ 
ing  to  achieve  their  own  desires,  ambition  and  des¬ 
tiny.  They  are  struggling  with  their  own  problems 
and  seeking  to  work  out  their  own  salvation.  Here 
the  former  consciousness  of  law  in  all  of  its  ramifi¬ 
cation,  together  with  the  efforts  and  works  and  un¬ 
dertakings  are  of  vast  importance.  And  there  is  a 
common  consciousness  with  such  a  people,  in  each 
undertaking  that  is  all  powerful  in  welding  and 
binding  together.  Their  destiny  begins  to  rise  be¬ 
fore  them.  They  reach  out,  and  seek  their  aspira- 


/ 


104 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


tions.  They  wish  and  labor  to  achieve.  They  de¬ 
velop  a  higher  sense  of  life  and  reach  for  its  fulness. 

With  such  righteousness,  their  own  works,  and 
undertakings,  and  achievements  are  regarded  highly 
by  themselves.  They  glory  in  their  works.  They 
depend  upon  their  undertakings.  They  live  wholly 
in  the  present.  Laboring  to  work  out  their  destiny. 

Again.  In  the  family  of  nations  there  is  to  be  seen 
those,  who,  may  be  said  to  have  passed  the  experi¬ 
mental  stage  and  come  to  the  consciousness  of  some¬ 
thing  greater  than  that  of  self  alone.  A  conscious¬ 
ness  of  the  family  of  nations  has  taken  possession  of 
them.  A  consciousness  of  a  “World  power.”  A 
world  opportunity.  A  world  responsibility.  A 
world  obligation.  A  relationship  to  the  rest  of  the 
family  of  nations.  And  to  some  degree  at  least  are 
endeavoring  to  deal  with  the  international  problems. 

The  supreme  question  of  peace,  in  this  crisis,  is  the 
problem  and  it  touches  the  whole  family  of  nations. 

But  the  fundamental  principle  of  righteousness,  in 
the  bosom  of  all  men,  placed  there  by  God  himself, 
and  effecting  every  nation,  whether  it  be  at  the  low¬ 
est  or  the  highest  conception  of  righteousness  is  the 
hope  of  the  nations.  This  Movement  of  Peace,  like 
an  instrument  of  many  keys  is  to  be  employed  in 
spelling  out  international  Peace. 

The  one  universal  conception  that  will  effect  any 
one  particular  individual  and  every  part  as  a  whole 
at  the  same  time  is  this  Righteousness  of  Je- 
hovah-El. 

The  World’s  peace  is  not  a  divided  proposition 
but  one  effecting  all  the  family  of  nations.  And  any 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


105 


other,  that  sacrifices  the  weaker  to  the  strong,  is  de¬ 
ceptive,  and  sure  to  prolong  the  struggle  between 
nations. 

The  principle  of  righteousness  is  of  universal  ap¬ 
plication. 

c.  Our  hope  of  the  World’s  peace  is  in  living 
men,  who,  take  their  outlook,  and  receive  their  in¬ 
spiration,  and  draw  their  power,  and  seek  their  cour¬ 
age  in  God-Almighty. 

The  statesmen  of  the  nations.  The  Jurists  of 
every  land.  The  Executive  Heads  of  all  people. 
The  industrial  leaders  of  the  masses.  The  prophets 
and  educators  of  the  countries  who  love  righteous¬ 
ness  and  eschew  evil. 

The  hope  of  the  World’s  peace  is  in  living  men 
who  fear  God  and  who  bear  the  people  on  their 
hearts  and  who  recognize  the  principle  of  righteous¬ 
ness  in  all  its  ramifications  of  human  life.  Men, 
who,  are  able  to  see  other  aspects  of  righteousness 
apart  from  the  strict  sense  of  justice  found  in  Law. 
Men,  who,  are  able  to  see  in  life’s  struggle  the  des¬ 
tiny  of  other  men  and  nations. 

Men,  .w^°  are  a^e  *°  see  1°  life’s  movements  the 
possibilities,  opportunities,  responsibilities  and  obli¬ 
gations  of  other  nations  and  people. 

There  is  a  great  need — a  World’s  Need — for 
Peace,  and  all  see  it.  There  is  also,  an  ample  field 
— one  on  which  all  nations  may  meet — The  ground 
of  Righteousness — a  common  ground  to  all. 

Would  it  be  impossible  for  a  Council  of  repre¬ 
sentative  men  of  the  nations  (a  few  in  number)  to 
discuss,  not  their  laws,  inclinations  or  activities,  but 


io6  The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


discuss  and  study  the  unit-character  of  the  nations, 
to  follow  the  leading  of  the  Way,  to  walk  in  the 
Light,  and  give  the  longings  and  aspirations  of  the 
human  heart  a  chance  to  freely  express  itself,  and  to 
counsel  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  follow  the  muta¬ 
tion  of  greater  and  better  things  which  seen^  to  be 
trying  to  give  expression  in  this  our-day. 

This  world  crisis  needs  different  treatment  than 
that  of  past  treaties  of  peace,  and  bonds  of  security. 
This  is  not  to  criticise  the  past,  but  to  take  advance 
ground. 

All  nations,  neutrals  as  well  as  belligerents,  seem 
to  be  forced  back  to  the  last  ditch.  Back  to  the 
fundamental  principles  of  human  existence. 

The  unbeliever,  the  critic,  and  the  sinister  may 
sneer, — and  criticise,  and  doubt  and  point  to  the 
Christian  nations,  but  we  are  all  at  the  last  ditch. 
Here  in  the  last  ditch  there  is  a  show  down. 

Let  these  would-be  wise  men,  these  self-righteous 
men  show  what  they  have  done  for  the  human  fam¬ 
ily.  It  is  to  be  noted,  the  more  this  class  of  men 
have  to  say,  the  more  they  implicate  themselves  in 
folly.  It  is  a  show  down  between  righteousness  and 
sin,  and  it  must  be  fought  through  to  a  finish.. 

That  war,  the  evil  of  war,  the  sin  of  war  is  con¬ 
suming  itself  is  self-evident. 

The  world  outside  of  the  trenches,  neutrals  as 
well  as  others,  should  abhor  war  as  the  men  daily 
sacrificing  their  lives  to  this  “Hell  on  earth.” 

That  the  old  system  of  settling  differences  by  war 
has  proved  its  fallacy  and  demonstrated  its  sin  and 
weakness  is  apparent.  Yes  self-destruction  is  evi- 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


107 


dent  to  all  under  modern  warfare. 

The  world’s  need  calls. for  an  abhorrence,  a  dis¬ 
like,  disgust,  and  a  hatred  of  war  that  it  shall  stink 
as  stench  in  our  nostrils.  It  should  make  us  sick  of 
such  sin,  and  cause  the  whole  world  to  turn  away 
with  abhorrence  and  repentance  “That  need  not  be 
repented  of.” 

Nothing  less  than  this  seems  adequate  to  vindicate 
the  World’s  abhorrence  of  war. 

There  is  that  in  the  race.  There  is  that  in  the 
nations  of  the  earth.  There  is  that  in  the  human 
family  nurtured,  kept,  revived,  made  to  live  because 
God  is  God  to  which  all  nations  should  now  turn. 
Not  to  try  and  justify  themselves.  For  what  na¬ 
tion  can,  or,  even  dares  to  try  to  do  this.  The  Blue, 
White  in  fact  all  colored  books  have  been  written. 
There  is  something  different  from  these,  to  which 
the  nations  should  go  at  present.  Let  neutrals  and 
belligerents  meet  not  to  impose  indemnities,  or,  por¬ 
tion  out  territory,  leave  all  such  to  other  men  who 
may  be  better  able  to  do  this;  but  men — representa¬ 
tive  statesmen — men  of  broad  minds,  who  can  see  the 
broad  principle  of  righteousness,  in  its  working  in 
law,  and  the  aspirations  of  life  and  in  the  higher 
relations  of  nations,  let  them  work  and  formulate 
a  declaration  of  the  principle  of  righteousness  broad 
enough  to  recognize  the  weak,  and  strong  enough  to 
hold  the  strong. 

Let  these  few  representative  men  be  God  fearing 
and  men  loving  men.  Let  them  formulate  a  work¬ 
ing  declaration  according  to  the  righteousness  of 
God- Almighty  that  will  eliminate  War.  A  dec- 


io8 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


laration  that  all  nations  can  use,  and  apply  in  settling 
their  differences. 

Let  this  declaration  have  only  to  do  with  the  elim¬ 
inating  of  war  from  the  equation  in  the  future,  and 
the  establishing  the  principle  of  righteousness  by 
which  the  differences  may  be  settled. 

Let  others  formulate  laws,  establish  courts,  and 
make  the  treaties.  War  and  Peace  are  great  enough 
to  occupy  the  whole  world's  attention  at  a  time,  and 
at  present. 

Formulate  the  declaration  that  the  world — the 
nations — the  race — the  people  may  speak,  and  em¬ 
brace  it.  . 

Let  the  executive  Heads  of  the  nations  use  their 
authority  and  exercise  their  powers  now,  and  do  so 
before  God-Almighty  and  for  the  nations  of  the 

earth.  . 

Let  the  leaders  of  nations  and  people  use  their 
powers  to  eliminate  war  from  the  race.  It  is  ours 
to  do.  It  can  be  done! 

Never  before  was  it  possible  for  the  whole  world 
to  act  in  unison  on  any  question  as  it  is  at  present. 
It  can  be  done  now  and  against  war. 

Let  the  people  hope,  and  pray,  and  turn  to  God. 
Why  should  we  war  longer?  God’s  way  of  set¬ 
tling  the  differences  is  far  better.  Why  can  not  we 
free  willed  men  do  it.  Why  can  not  we  men  delib¬ 
erately  choose  now,  and  declare  our  position,  before 
God-Almighty  and  all  nations.  That  whatever 
our  differences,  as  a  people  and  nation,  may  arise 
and  be  with  other  nations  and  people  we  will  seek 
a  settlement  and  settle  them  otherwise  than  by  war. 


The  Righteousness  of  Jehovah 


109 


Now  is  the  time  for  us  and  all  nations  and  people 
to  act  on  this  world  sin.  It  is  a  world  sin  of  which 
to  repent  and  turn,  and  the  Righteousness  of 
God-Almighty  living  in  the  bosom  of  men  is  a 
common  ground  on  which  we  may  meet.  And  a 
sure  foundation  on  which  we  all  can  build  in  the 
future. 

Give  us  men  Oh!  Jehovah-El  to  formulate  the 
Word.  Amen. 


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